WASHINGTON — Police are investigating after a 7-year-old boy was hit by a car driven by an 11-year-old boy in Southeast D.C. Monday evening.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the unidentified boy was hit in a playground parking lot, located on the 3500 block of Stanton Road, just after 6:30 p.m. Police believe the juvenile driver lost control of the car and wasn't able to hit the brake before running into the child. The car also hit a curb.
When first responders arrived, they found the boy conscious and breathing.
The 11-year-old driver of a 2020 Kia Optima ran away from the scene after the crash, according to MPD, but was located by police Tuesday.
The family of the boy hit said he is expected to be OK, but he is recovering from a leg injury in the hospital.
“He’s too young to be going through something like that," the 7-year-old's aunt said. "I just want my nephew to get well soon."
The aunt, who asked not to be identified, believes the crash is the result of a social media challenge that encourages kids to steal cars.
"It's a TikTok trend and it's like the trend is just out of control," she said. "Like who promotes kids to steal cars?”
Police have not released any identifying information about either boy involved, nor have they said whether the 11-year-old is facing any charges.
"He probably didn't mean to do it, but he still shouldn't have been in the car," the 7-year-old's aunt said. "He still shouldn't have been driving ... who's supposed to make an impact on our young boys? Like it showed the next generation under them how to do stuff, not steal cars and go out here and hurt each other. It should never be like that."
Dajanee Tinker is a frequent visitor to the neighborhood where the crash happened, as her mother lives in the apartments near the park. She said incidents like this remind her of the constant work that needs to be done to engage children, especially during the summer months.
“I don’t see how an 11-year-old has access to a vehicle anyway," Tinker said. "So it just lets me know how much we failing in D.C. altogether."
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