Update: One Child Dead, Others Hospitalized After SUV Backs Into Them

Update, 2:30 p.m. An 8-year-old girl has died from injuries she sustained after her mother drove an SUV over her and four other children in Lewisdale Thursday night.

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According to Prince George’s County Police, the accident in the 2200 block of Hannon Street occurred at 8:47 p.m., when 33-year-old Maria Anna Cruz Lopez accidentally struck the five children, ranging in age from two to 11. Two of the children were her own, including the toddler, who had minor injuries, and Natalie Hernandez Cruz, 8, who has died.

PGPD Spokeswoman Julie Parker said Friday that two county police officers were on scene around 8 p.m. when Lopez called to report a landlord-tenant dispute. The landlord was evicting Lopez for not paying rent, according to ABC7.

The officers took the report and left the scene, Parker added, but returned 20 minutes later when the call for the accident came into dispatch. Officers immediately started CPR on Lopez’ daughter, Natalie, who was the most critically injured. 

PGPD Lt. David Lloyd told the media in a press conference Thursday that Lopez was parked in a driveway with her car facing the street, when she accidentally began accelerating in reverse, striking the five children who were playing in the driveway. The car continued backing up and struck a corner of the garage.

Multiple eyewitnesses told Patch Thursday that they could hear an argument and shouting in the street before the accident occurred.

The three other injured children are at Children’s Hospital in DC. The 6 and the 7 year old only sustained minor injuries. The 11 year old remains in critical condition.

“At this point it does not appear that drugs or alcohol were a factor in this case," Parker said.

She added that police believe this was a tragic accident and Lopez has not been charged with a crime.

Editor’s Note: In an earlier post, we misquoted PGPD Spokeswoman Julie Parker. Drugs and alcohol were not involved in the accident. We regret this error. 

Updated, Friday, 9:02 a.m.: An 8-year-old girl has died after her mother accidentally backed her SUV into her and four other children in Lewisdale Thursday night.

For breaking news updates follow Hyattsville Patch on Facebook and Twitter.

According to Prince George's County Spokeswoman Julie Parker, two county police officers were called to a house on the 2200 block of Hannon Street around 8 p.m. Thursday night for landlord-tenant dispute. Maria Anna Cruz Lopez, 33, was being evicted from her home there with her children.

The officers left the home just after 8:20 p.m., but 20 minutes later they were called back to the scene when a 911 call dispatcher said five children were struck by an SUV, Parker said. Officers immediately started to resuscitate Natalie Hernandez Cruz, 8, who was the most critically injured. 

All five children were hospitalized, police said. The youngest, a toddler who will turn two on Saturday, and a 6- and 7-year-old only sustained minor injuries. The 11-year-old remains in critical condition at Children's Hospital in DC.

“At this point it does not appear that drugs or alcohol were a factor in this case," Parker said.

She added that police believe this was a tragic accident and Lopez has not been charged with a crime.

Updated, Friday, 8:24 a.m.: The eight year old involved in Thursday night's accident in Lewisdale has died, according to ABC7 who interviewed a relative.

At around 8:47 p.m., a woman was parked in a driveway when she accidentally began accelerating in reverse, striking five children playing in the driveway, Prince George's County Police Lt. David Lloyd told the media in a press conference Thursday.

According to relatives, the eight year old and toddler were the driver's children, ABC7 reports.

Update, 10:40 p.m. Five children, including a toddler, are in critical condition after a woman apparently drove her SUV over them, Prince George's County Police Cpl. Larry Johnson said.

The call came into police dispatch around 8:47 p.m., Prince George's County Police Lt. David Lloyd said in a press conference Thursday night.

According to Lloyd, a woman in a large dark-colored SUV was parked in the driveway of a house on the 2200 block of Hannon Street. When she backed her car up in the driveway, she struck the five children, ranging in age from a year-and-a-half to 11 years old. The car continued backing up and was lodged into garage.

The woman was arguing with someone before the incident, according to three eyewitnesses at the scene, who said they heard shouting in the street.

The children were taken to Children's Hospital in Washington, DC, Lloyd said. A woman was detained and taken away from the scene, but police would not say if she was arrested or charged.

Update, 9:56 p.m.: Two eyewitnesses told Patch that a woman backed into a garage of a home on the 2200 block of Hannon Street, striking five children between the ages of two and 10 who were playing in the vicinity of the home.

WJLA is reporting that one child was critically injured.

The eyewitnesses say before the incident they could hear the woman arguing with someone in the house. Police have not corroborated this story as of yet.

Police and EMS are on the scene.

Original Post, 9:24 p.m.: Prince George's County police and fire officials are heading to the scene of an accident on the 2200 block on Hannon Street in Lewisdale.

According to a Prince George's County Police spokeswoman, the call was for multiple children struck by a vehicle.

Residents could hear sirens and a helicopter in the area shortly after the incident around 8:47 p.m.

No other details are available at this time.