Toddler and infant killed when driver hits family and speeds away, Florida cops say
UPDATE: The Sarasota Police Department reports “an elderly woman” has been identified as the suspected driver involved in the deadly crash, and she is cooperating with detectives. Her identity has not been released.
The original story is below.
A baby and a 2-year-old were killed when a driver ran over a family as they crossed a busy Florida highway, according to investigators.
The driver sped away and remains at large, the Sarasota Police Department said in a Feb. 11 news release. Identities of the victims have not been released, and the driver has not yet been identified.
It happened around 8:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, as the family crossed the southbound lanes of U.S. 301 near 7th Street in Sarasota. The highway is five-lanes and lined with businesses, maps show.
“The victims of the crash, a 29-year-old woman, a 2-year-old, and a 5-month-old, were transported to area hospitals under trauma alerts. The two children have died as a result of their injuries and the woman remains in critical condition,” police said.
Witnesses reported the driver continued southbound, made a U-turn then vanished eastbound on 7th Street, police said. The car is described as a white Lexus ES 300 (2013 to 2018 models) “with damage to the right front quarter panel and windshield,” police said.
A vehicle believed to have been involved in the crash was located Feb. 12 and “the owner/driver of the vehicle is cooperating,” police said.
Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche posted a video on social media reporting the mother is “fighting for her life.”
“We are searching the area for any cameras, any type of security systems,” he said in the video.
“We’re looking for everybody in the community to help us out with this. ... We want to bring closure to this and we want to make sure that person is put behind bars where they belong. They didn’t stop and help that family.”
Sarasota is about a 60-mile drive south from Tampa.
This story was originally published February 12, 2025 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Toddler and infant killed when driver hits family and speeds away, Florida cops say."