Police say 5-year-old child killed in St. Louis hit-and-run

ST. LOUIS (AP) - A 5-year-old girl has died in a hit-and-run crash, police in St. Louis said.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Demyhia Bates was struck by an SUV around 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Walnut Park West neighborhood and was pronounced dead at a hospital. Police said the driver fled the scene but was taken into custody later Monday. The driver, a woman, has not been identified by authorities.

“I’m just praying, ‘God, give me strength.’ We all live and die. I’m going to be with her again,” said Demyhia’s mother, Vernesha Bates. “She’s with my aunt and brother up there.”

Before the crash, the girl’s stepfather had bought her a treat from an ice cream truck, and Demyhia played with her brother and some children down the street. Bates’ 10-year-old son later ran to his mother, panicked.

“He was jumping up and down talking about Maya,” Bates said.