7-year-old walking on highway at 2:15 a.m. killed by hit-and-run driver, Georgia cops say

A 7-year-old child walking along a six-lane Georgia highway at 2 a.m. was struck by a passing vehicle and left to die, according to the Clayton County Police Department.

It happened Sunday, Sept. 4, in Jonesboro, about 15 miles south of Atlanta, police said in a news release.

The identity of the child has not been released and investigators say they have not found any witnesses.

“Between the hours of 2:15 a.m. – 2:30 a.m., Clayton County police officers responded to Tara Blvd N/B at Southside Commercial Pkwy ... in reference to a hit and run,” police said.

“Upon arrival, officers located a deceased juvenile in the roadway. It was determined that the juvenile was a seven-year-old.”

The child and a parent were staying at the nearby Magnolia Bay Hotel and Suites when the accident occurred, station WSB-TV reports.

An investigation is underway, but police say they have “no leads” on the driver’s identity.

Among the possibilities being considered is the driver may not know they struck a child on the highway, officials said.

“We are desperately asking for the public’s assistance,” police said.

“If you were traveling on Tara Blvd around that time, you may not have realized you hit someone. We are urging you to give us a call if you remember any details while you were traveling in that area.”

This story was originally published September 5, 2022 at 9:18 AM with the headline "7-year-old walking on highway at 2:15 a.m. killed by hit-and-run driver, Georgia cops say."