COLUMBIA, S.C. — Columbia Police continue to search for the driver who they say hit and killed a 6-year-old boy in Columbia then left the scene.
The incident happened at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8, in the 2400 block of Percival Road.
Investigators say the child, Kayden Valdez, was at a birthday party with family and friends and the accident occurred not far from where the party took place.
Columbia Police say he was walking alone along the westbound side of the road when he was struck by a vehicle that has been described as possibly being a dark sedan.
After the collision, the driver left the scene.
"With the help of the Richland County Sheriff's Department, since the venue location is in the county's jurisdiction, we're trying to determine collectively how and why the child was alone at the time and how he made his way to the road," CPD Spokesperson Jennifer Timmons said. "We did speak to a male witness who was driving along the east bound side of Percival Road when he saw the child standing on the roadside kind of in the fog line. While the witness did not actually see the collision itself, he was concerned enough that the child was alone that he turned around to check on the boy, but by that time, unfortunately, the collision had already occurred."
EMS arrived on scene and took the child to a local hospital where medical staff pronounced him dead.
Police are continuing to determine how and why the child was on the roadway and whether surveillance video captured the incident, including the suspect’s vehicle.
If you have any information about this accident you are encouraged to call 911 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CrimeSC.