Gaston County, NC : 19-month-old girl in critical condition after being struck by a car in Gastonia on Wednesday morning, December 23, 2015

Police say a 19-month-old girl struck by a car in Gastonia Wednesday morning is in critical condition at Levine Children's Hospital.

The hit-and-run happened around 11 a.m. in the 1400 block of Westbrook Circle. The girl, later identified as Riley Bradley, was taken to CaroMont Regional Medical Center, then airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center before being moved to Levine.

"I heard a loud noise," neighbor Rebeca Carhoff said. "That sounded like a gunshot from the street." Carhoff then looked out her window to see what was going on.

"I saw the neighbor across the street," she said. "Running down the street toward something laying down there."

Moments later, she learned 19-month-old Riley was hit and that the car didn't stop.

"She was unconscious," Carhoff said. "She had a large head wound, part of her scalp, but she was alive."

It didn't take long for Gastonia police to locate the car and the driver believed to be involved around the corner from the accident scene. The car was towed away. A neighbor's dashcam camera was rolling at the time of the hit and run and caught the car in the neighborhood moments before the accident.

"Anytime a child is hit it's very tragic. It's very stressful for the family involved," Gastonia Police Captain Mike Lari said. "So our hearts go out to the child and the family."

Police say the Riley's mother was busy inside the house when the 19-month-old wandered off. They are still investigating and asking questions as to how that happened.

They have questioned the driver of the car and say they don't expect to file charges until next week. Police believe the driver is not a flight risk.

"Just tragic," neighbor Everette Mooneyhan said. "And just pray for everybody involved."

Police say as of Wednesday afternoon, the most serious charge would be felonious hit and run, but the charges could get worse.

"I didn't know why you didn't stop," Carhoff said of the driver. "I heard the noise from in here, so you heard the noise too."

Anyone with further information about the incident is asked to call police.

Source :

Toddler in critical condition after hit-and-run