PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A 5-year-old girl riding a scooter in a residential neighborhood died Sunday after deputies said she was hit by a pickup truck.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) responded to the Rainbow Mobile Home Colony on S. Military Trail at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
The little girl, identified by family members as Isabella Lopez, was rushed to the hospital where she died a short time later.
Investigators said Lopez was unattended while riding her non-motorized scooter near a curve on the road when the driver of a Ford F-150 truck hit her.
The child's mother, Bianca Rebolledo, said her daughter graduated from pre-kindergarten on May 31 and was looking forward to beginning kindergarten in the fall.
"She was very friendly [and] very happy," said Rebolledo, who spoke to WPTV reporter Kendall Hyde. "She had a very big heart. We all loved her."
The 26-year-old driver's view was obstructed by a parked truck and trailer, according to an incident report, preventing him from seeing the child.
Rebolledo believes the driver was speeding before the collision, and family members told investigators he tried to leave the scene after hitting the little girl.
WPTV contacted PBSO about the family's claims.
Sheriff's office spokeswoman Teri Barbera said no charges have been filed but "the investigation is still very, very active and ongoing."
Hyde called the driver and went to his home; however, the man could not be reached for comment.
"It's a pain I would not wish upon anybody," Rebolledo said. "It's something very traumatizing."
Visit the GoFundMe page if you would like to make a donation to the family.