HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A toddler is dead after they were hit by a driver early Thursday in Hillsborough County, the sheriff's office said in a news release.
This all appears to be a "heartbreaking" accident, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Amanda Granit said during a news conference.
Around 3 a.m., a three-year-old had somehow gotten out of their home, an apartment at Valencia at Westchase on Brennan Circle in Town 'n' Country, and managed to wander to Sheldon Road nearby.
As this was happening, a driver was on his way home from work. Granit noted there are no streetlights along the stretch of road where the accident happened, which may have been why the driver didn't see the toddler.
The driver reportedly told deputies he knew he had hit something, but couldn't see what it was. That's when he turned his car around and made the "gut-wrenching" discovery, Granit said.
Deputies quickly responded to the 911 call, where they found the toddler in the roadway.
The 3-year-old was rushed to the hospital where they died. A friend of the family told 10 Tampa Bay the child's name was Cody Noble.
Granit said within the hour after responding, deputies found the toddler's parents frantically searching for their child. Deputies said a door to the apartment was found open.
Investigators are still working on finding out all the details regarding this accident, but Granit said no charges for either the parents or the driver are expected at this time.
Deputies said the northbound lanes of Sheldon Road are closed from Mayflower Road to Fountain Avenue and will remain that way for several hours.
Few other details about the crash have been made available at this time, but the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said it is a "very active investigation."
A friend of the family has started up a GoFundMe to help the Noble family with funeral expenses. You can find the link here.