Child Killed As Theft Suspect Flees Store

UPDATE: NJ Father Charged For Death Of 2-Year-Old Son

A child was killed in a serious crash allegedly caused by a retail theft suspect along Route 13 in Tullytown Tuesday afternoon.

The multi-vehicle wreck happened at the entrance to the Levittown Town Center along Route 13 around 12:15 p.m. Police who were responding to the shopping center for the retail theft saw the cloud of smoke from the impact and immediately responded to the scene.

Tullytown police Chief Daniel Doyle said the driver of a gold Jeep fled the shopping center after a reported theft at Walmart and entered Route 13 southbound from the exit near Petsmart. He came up to the entry and exit intersection closest to Home Depot and is believed to have run the red light, striking two other vehicles.

The 2-year-old boy in the retail theft suspect’s vehicle ended up ejected into the roadway and the driver of the Jeep fled on foot. Officers caught the retail theft suspect who fled and immediately began to try to save the boy’s life with CPR, Doyle said.

The boy was rushed to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead, the chief said.

Witnesses said a distraught police officer and medics performed life-saving efforts on the child before rushing them to the hospital in an ambulance with a patrol car escort.

No other injuries were reported in the crash. However, the retail theft suspect was taken to the hospital for evaluation, Doyle said.

Glass and debris scattered across the intersection as firefighters and officers from Bristol Borough, Bristol Township and Falls assisted Tullytown police.

Doyle said there was no police pursuit and officers were just arriving at the Walmart when the crash occurred. He said officers quickly turned to their cars around and rushed to the crash scene.

Robert James, chief of the Bucks County District Attorney’s Homicide by Vehicle Division, surveyed the crash scene with Doyle around 1:45 p.m.

The events leading up to the crash are being investigated by Tullytown police and the crash is being handled by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office Homicide by Vehicle Task Force.

Route 13 was closed as of 2:15 p.m. between Levittown Parkway and Haines Road.