After a 4-year-old boy was hit by a vehicle and later died, police in Boston have launched an investigation to find the driver who was behind the wheel.
The young child was hit on Tuesday night along Wood Avenue in the Hyde Park, according to the Boston Police Department. Authorities said the boy suffered life-threatening injuries from the crash, and was taken to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
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Investigators believe the vehicle that hit the boy didn't stop and left the area.
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Immediately following the crash, an off-duty firefighter who was in the area provided first aid to the child.
Police have not released the child's name, but family member Heroldy Limage identified the victim as his 4-year-old newphew, Ivan.
"Life of the party," Limage said. "You walk through the doors smiling and laughing."
Anyone with information about what happened has been urged to reach out to detectives. On Tuesday night, police were working to gather information from witnesses and video cameras in the area. A description of the vehicle involved has not been released yet.
Police, along with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden, held a news conference late Tuesday to discuss the fatal crash that claimed a young life and to also plead for help on the investigation.
"We need the help of anyone who has seen or heard or knows anything," Hayden said. "Law enforcement, the district attorney's office, mayor's office is going to do everything we can to gather the appropriate information that we can get to the public to hopefully assist us here."
"We beg of you, we need your help," he added.
Wu sent her condolences to the family.
"Its absolutely devastating to think about what transpired in just a split second," she said. "I'm also very grateful that a member of our Boston Fire Department immediately stopped off-duty and did what was possible to try and render first aid until EMS and other first responders arrived."
Trauma response teams will be in the area to provide support to people who need it following the deadly crash.
