Investigators say they ‘desperately need’ help determining who hit, killed 7-year-old girl

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Police in Clayton County said they are asking for help in trying to determine who hit and killed a 7-year-old girl with their car, and then kept going.

“We desperately need the public’s help with helping us solve this crime,” said Capt. Steven Palmer of Clayton County Police Department.

Police said they got a call between 2:15 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. Sunday about a hit-and-run along Tara Boulevard northbound at Southside Commercial Parkway in Jonesboro, Georgia.

When officers got to the scene, they said they found a dead child who they determined was 7-years-old.

During a news conference Tuesday, investigators said right now they believe the child got out without her parents knowing.

“This is a tragic situation,” Palmer said. “At this time, we have no leads. We’re currently checking businesses to see if they have surveillance cameras for anything they may have captured at that time.”

TRENDING STORIES:

• 3 men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery moved to one of the largest state prisons in Georgia
• Atlanta United, U.S. soccer star Miles Robinson arrested at the Battery Atlanta, records show
• Cartersville deputy police chief paid cash and White Claws for ‘prostitute,’ officials say

Investigators said officers showed up at the Magnolia Bay Hotel and Suites, which is near the scene. Channel 2′s Bryan Mims went out to the scene Sunday and learned the mom and child were staying at the hotel, but the mother declined to speak with anyone at the time.

“The family’s been cooperating with us and we’re trying to determine why this child was out,” Palmer said. “If anybody was in the area of Tara Boulevard on Sept. 4 between the hours of 2:15 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., if they saw anything, might have felt a bump in the car … they may have struck her and not even realized they (hit) her.”

Channel 2′s Michael Seiden went back to the hotel on Tuesday where he found officers back there investigating this case.

Detectives are not releasing the child’s identity at this time.

Police ask if you have any information on the fatal hit-and-run, contact the Clayton County Police Department at 770-473-3983 or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477).

RELATED NEWS:

New details from police in hit and run involving 7-year-old in Clayton Co.

©2022 Cox Media Group