A 5-year-old girl was killed in a hit-and-run accident Saturday afternoon in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood after she left her house to buy a treat from an ice cream truck.
Maria Gonzales was with her mother in her home in the 5900 block of South Mozart doing her homework at about 3:15 p.m. when she heard the sound of an ice cream truck, her father, Juan Gonzales, told NBC Chicago. Maria managed to unhook the chain lock on her front door using a broom and ran outside before either parent could stop her, the family said.
Maria’s father, who was working outside in the yard, said he told his daughter to stop running, but the girl continued toward the truck.
On her way back to their home after stopping by the ice cream truck, a dark-colored vehicle sped by and struck Maria, Chicago Police said. Juan Gonzales, who heard the impact but did not see it, said the driver seemed to be driving more than 40 miles per hour.
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