AUBURNDALE, Fla. — A woman was arrested for hitting a six-year-old child with her car before fleeing the scene, according to police.
The Auburndale Police Department said around 6:19 p.m. on April 2, Shannon Marie Hudson, 34, was driving a silver Mazda SUV when she hit the six-year-old at the intersection of Reiter Drive and Robert Avenue.
Witnesses told police that the Mazda fled the scene but remained in the neighborhood. Emergency medical personnel treated the child before airlifting them to Tampa General Hospital, where they are listed in stable condition.
During a search, officers found the Mazda at a home on Robert Avenue and made contact with Cheryl Ann Alexander, 68, the registered owner of the SUV.
According to police, Alexander initially denied any knowledge of the incident, but a further investigation revealed a piece of the Mazda's grill at the crash site that matched the SUV.
She then admitted that her daughter, Hudson, had been driving the Mazda but claimed Hudson had left hours before the crash. Police said after more inconsistencies in Alexander's statement, they requested permission to search the home.
According to police, Alexander then confessed that Hudson was hiding inside the home and that she lied to protect her from getting arrested. Officers then found Hudson inside a bathroom, and she was identified as the driver through witness confirmation.
Police said Hudson was arrested and admitted to the incident due to only having a learner's permit. Alexander was also arrested for providing false information during an investigation.
"I felt like it was really strong-arm robbery."
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