Girl hit by car in Springfield; the driver takes her home, then leaves

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - A Springfield mother asks for help finding the driver who hit her daughter.

The mom said her daughter was riding her bike near downtown at West State St. and South Newton Ave. when she was hit. Witnesses said the driver put the girl in the car, drove her home, and left her in the driveway. Witnesses said a car hit her, sounding like a gunshot. On the road, you can see the skidmarks and where the bike smashed into the street.

The girl was okay, but she told us her shoes flew off. Her mom, Jessica Cartwright, is in shock that a driver wouldn’t stop and speak with her.

“I’m really, I’m kind of shaken up on my thoughts because of the things that were told during the accident,” said Cartwright.

Surveillance shows 11-year-old Natalie Cartwright getting hit by a car just before three March 16. Natalie had a bump on her head, swelling, and bruises.

”She was on her bike riding home, and the woman stopped in the road and was yelling at bystanders not to call 911,” said Cartwright. ”The ambulance driver told me when she saw the skidmarks that there was no way she was doing 25 mph through there.”

Witnesses told us the driver, a woman, was in what looked like a dark green 2004-2005 Nissan Pathfinder. They say the vehicle had shiny silver chrome rims on it.

Cartwright said the woman picked up her daughter without her permission.

”Why would you not talk to an adult?” said Cartwright. “Why would you literally drop somebody’s child off after hitting them with your vehicle and just leave them, a helpless child.”

Cartwright said this could have been much worse and hopes a four-way stop can be put at the intersection.

”People just don’t care because it’s little side roads,” said Cartwright. “But we do have our babies out here playing, and there are kids, they ride down this hill, and I mean, it’s just, they don’t care.”

The mother filed a police report. Springfield police said they are still looking into what happened but wouldn’t say anything about the case.

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