2-year-old dies after being hit by vehicle in Avenal parking lot

A 2-year-old boy died Friday aftter he was hit by a vehicle in an apartment complex parking lot, Avenal Police Senior Officer Leo Segura said.

Police responded about 7 p.m. at the Villa Esperanza Apartments, 500 E. Alpine St., where they found the boy laying on the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The boy had walked away from his mother, unnoticed, Segura said, and eventually into the path of a slow-moving vehicle.

Investigators found the view of the driver, a man in his mid-30s, was obstructed, Segura said. The driver was said to be cooperating, and neither drugs nor alcohol were believed to be a factor.

This story was originally published June 16, 2017 at 11:26 PM with the headline "2-year-old dies after being hit by vehicle in Avenal parking lot."