Police say the two-year-old boy was in his front yard playing with two other children around 9pm. At some point, police say, the boy got away from his mother, who was also standing in the front yard with the children.
The boy ran right into traffic on Beechnut near Troulon and was hit by a minivan.
"From what I understand, he was just playing and for some reason, darted across the street," said Lt. Phillip Munoz with the Houston Police Department.
The woman driving the minivan was not injured. She pulled over and waited for police to arrive. Police say she was clearly shaken and very upset about the accident. No charges are expected.
The boy was taken to Texas Children's Hospital, where he's listed in critical condition.