18-year-old mom charged after toddler killed by vehicle in SE Houston

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A mother was charged after her 18-month-old son was killed by a car in southeast Houston.

Gissel Vasquez, 18, was charged with endangering a child on Thursday.

Officers were called to the scene of the deadly crash at 6305 Tierwester St. at Dixie Drive.

Investigators said the toddler was following his mother into the parking lot when he fell behind. She was holding another baby in her arms.

Police say a driver who was pulling forward in her vehicle hit the boy with her left front tire before driving out of the parking lot.

Bystanders who saw what happened rushed to give aid to the child, but he was unresponsive. Officers who arrived at the scene pronounced the child dead.

The driver returned a few minutes later after she was contacted by police and given a sobriety test, which is standard in fatality cases.

A 3-D accident reconstruction should help determine if the child was in the driver's blind spot.

Vasquez was taken to the hospital after suffering emotional distress.

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