OAKLAND, New Jersey (WABC) — A mother and her three children were hit by a car in Oakland, New Jersey, and one of the children has died, according to officials.
The crash happened around 3:45 p.m. at the intersection of East Oak Street and Ramapo Valley Road.
Kathleen Pope had just parked at work up the road when it happened.
"And I just heard screaming. And at first I didn't really register it. But then I heard, 'my babies! my babies!' Pope said.
She works next to an office of pediatricians and nurses and watched as they jumped into action.
"Literally everyone from the pediatric center ran out," Pope said.
She says they did everything they could to help the injured until ambulances arrived quickly, taking a 4-year-old critically hurt boy to a medevac, but he passed away.
A relative told Eyewitness News that the 4-year-old's mom his 5-year-old brother and 9-month-old sister should recover from their injuries.
The relative said the family had just been to the pediatric center whose doctor and nurses ran over to try to help them and save the little boy.
The medical staff and others who had tried to help were distraught.
"A grown man came back crying and said, Do not go over there. It's really bad," Pope said.
Investigators went through the white Acura, whose driver did stay at the scene.
The Bergen County prosecutors office says that person is cooperating with their investigation.
The office is not identifying the driver or victims.
The car was turning into the intersection, according to a witness, failing to yield to the pedestrians.
Those who know this crosswalk say it gets a lot of use, and there are often close calls with drivers trying to make the light and not slowing down.
"This is kind of a dangerous intersection, especially with it being so wide and there being so many kids around, especially since there's a middle school right there," Neighbor Jonathan Morin said.
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