SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — A 5-year-old boy is recovering after being hit at a school bus stop Wednesday morning.
Several Northaven Elementary students were in the 700 block of Brandywine when a woman hit the child and kept going.
Maria Teresa Adame Huizar, 37, was later arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving injuries, not having a license, and not having car insurance.
The child was taken to Le Bonhur Children’s Hospital, where he was treated here for some facial cuts and bruises, but authorities said things could have been much worse.
“As far as I’m concerned, you cause an accident or you’re involved in an accident and you leave…that says a lot about the individual you are,” Chip Washington with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said.
Washington said after Huizar hit the boy, she took off.
“Thank God for observant children, and one of the kids was actually the one that called 911 to alert us,” Washington said.
Washington said it was an older child that made the 911 call. When deputies got to the area, they learned Huizar was driving a blue Saturn and lived in the area.
“[They] went around the corner, started looking and canvassing houses,” Washington said.
They eventually found Huizar at her home.
“She admitted she was involved in a hit-and-run and also admitted she didn’t stay. She made a statement that the boy was in the street or something like that,” Washington said.
Authorities don’t believe Huizar was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
While she now waits for her court date, Washington is just happy no one else was injured and a little boy will be with his family for the holidays.
“I’m just glad that the young man did suffer some cuts and bruises but he’s gonna be OK and he’ll be around to celebrate Christmas, and that’s a good thing,” he said.
