2-year-old girl killed in hit-and-run crash, NC cops say. Now, her dad is charged
A 2-year-old girl was killed in a hit-and-run crash, and now her dad is charged, North Carolina police said.
The girl’s father, 22-year-old Rashaun Wade, is accused of being behind the wheel when he also struck a man Friday, Nov. 8. The crash left the man seriously hurt, the Kinston Police Department wrote in a news release.
“It was a tragic incident,” Maj. Brandon Turner told WNCT. “Our hearts go out to the family to the little girl that was deceased as well as the 35-year old victim. All of it was completely avoidable and should have never happened.”
News outlets didn’t list attorney information for Wade, who is charged with “2nd degree murder, 2 counts of felony hit and run, felony serious injury by vehicle, and DWI.”
Officers responded just before 8 p.m. to an apartment complex in Kinston, a roughly 80-mile drive southeast from Raleigh. At the scene, about a block from the police station, first responders said they found the 2-year-old and 35-year-old pedestrians injured.
Police said Wade was in a “domestic dispute” with the child’s mother when he got into a pickup truck and jumped the curb. He’s accused of hitting the girl and running into the man, then leaving the scene, according to WITN.
“I can’t say that actually striking the child was intentional or accidental,” Turner told WCTI. “What I can say is that it was very unfortunate. It’s a punch in the gut to our community and the officers that had to respond to a scene such as that, and anytime a parent harms a kid, no matter the circumstances, it’s something we take seriously.”
The injured man was taken to a hospital and was reported to be in fair condition.
The 2-year-old girl also went to a hospital, where she died. Wade, who was arrested as he visited the medical center to check on his daughter, was taken to the Lenoir County jail, police said in their news release and told TV stations.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call officers at 252-939-4020 or Crime Stoppers at 252-523-4444. People also can reach out through the tip411 smartphone application.
The Kinston Police Department didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Nov. 13.
This story was originally published November 13, 2024 at 10:25 AM with the headline "2-year-old girl killed in hit-and-run crash, NC cops say. Now, her dad is charged."
