Vehicle recovered, child victim identified in Southwest Philadelphia hit-and-run crash

SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Action News has learned the name of a little boy who was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver in Southwest Philadelphia. In addition, police have located the vehicle suspected of being involved in the incident, and identified a person of interest.

4-year-old Latif Wilson was killed Monday evening near 57th and Litchfield Streets.

Late Tuesday, investigators recovered what they believe to be the striking vehicle, located in a parking garage underneath Love Park in Center City Philadelphia. It was taken to the police impound lot in Brewerytown.

Action News has learned that the SUV is a rental vehicle. And a source tells Action News the lawyer for a person of interest in the case has contacted police.

Detectives were hoping to speak with this person of interest sometime on Wednesday or Thursday.

Earlier Tuesday, police announced a $20,000 reward offered by the mayor's office, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the driver who hit the boy twice then fled the scene.

"She needs to turn herself in and give us some kind of explanation," said Capt. John Wilczynski of the Philadelphia Police Accident Investigations Division.

Police describe the vehicle as limited edition 2011-2014 black Ford Edge SUV with an all-chrome smooth front and a 1-inch chrome trim strip, front-to-back, on both sides of the vehicle.

Nothing from the vehicle fell off on impact, Wilczynski said, and no physical evidence of the SUV remained at the scene.

Police believe, based on witness accounts, that the driver was an African American woman.

Surveillance video shows how the driver struck 4-year-old Abdul, sending him 15 feet down the roadway. The driver then runs over the unconscious youngster before speeding away.

"I noticed a little, young boy coming out of the street right behind us," witness Jerome Eskridge told Action News. "When he got into the middle of the street, I heard a lady holler, 'Go back! Go back!'"

Several witnesses tried chasing down the driver after the incident, but to no avail.

Other witnesses called 911 and tried to help.

"He had stopped breathing at once. I think he went into shock. But they did find a pulse," Eskridge said.

The little boy was quickly transported to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Raysa Cespedes is another witness who says the only thing more heartbreaking than the hit-and-run itself was seeing Abdul's mother trying to revive her son.

"I saw her when she came out and it was horrible to watch. She was just crying, crying for the baby's name. It was horrible," Cespedes said.

According to the video, it appeared to just be a horrible accident. Police say if the driver had just stopped at the scene, it's likely she wouldn't be facing any criminal charges.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Philadelphia Police.