Investigators say the driver of a white Ford SUV fled after the child was struck near Rockaway Parkway and Linden Boulevard.
BROWNSVILLE, N.Y. — A 4-year-old Brooklyn boy was killed Thursday morning after a hit-and-run driver struck him outside Brookdale University Hospital, and police said Friday they had identified the child as Zachariah Padilla while continuing their search for the driver.
The case drew fresh attention because the crash happened at one of Brooklyn’s busiest and most dangerous road crossings, directly outside a major hospital entrance. Investigators said the SUV kept going after the collision, leaving officers to piece together the path of the vehicle, review surveillance video and try to identify who was behind the wheel.
Police said the collision happened shortly after 11 a.m. near Rockaway Parkway and Linden Boulevard. Zachariah got away from his mother and ran into the roadway before he was struck by a white Ford SUV, according to police accounts carried by local outlets. The boy’s mother carried him inside Brookdale, where he was later pronounced dead. Officials said the vehicle then fled the area and was last seen heading north. By Friday afternoon, no arrest had been announced. Police have not publicly released the driver’s identity, and they have not said whether investigators know if the driver stopped even briefly before leaving.
Witnesses described a chaotic and painful scene outside the hospital entrance. Shaquasha, a witness interviewed by News 12, said people inside heard repeated calls for pediatric trauma as the child was rushed in. Police said they recovered surveillance video, an important step in a case where there was no immediate arrest at the scene. Accounts of the exact point of impact varied in early reports, but all placed the crash at or just north of the Rockaway Parkway and Linden Boulevard crossing outside Brookdale. Officials have not said how fast the SUV was traveling, whether any traffic camera captured the plate, or whether investigators have identified the registered owner.
The location has long been a focus of traffic safety concerns. ABC7 reported that at least 30 pedestrians had been struck by cars and trucks at that intersection in the past four years. Streetsblog, citing city crash data, reported 368 crashes within a three-block radius since January 2022, with 215 people injured, including pedestrians and cyclists. A 2015 city transportation presentation for the corridor showed officials had already proposed changes there, including high-visibility crosswalks, yield markings and changes meant to shorten crossings and discourage speeding. Those earlier plans underscore how long the corridor has been seen as a risk point for people on foot.
The investigation now centers on identifying the SUV and driver, preserving video evidence and checking for additional witnesses. Police have not announced charges, and none can be filed until a suspect is identified and the facts are reviewed by prosecutors. Any future case could turn on what investigators determine about the driver’s actions after impact, the path of the SUV and whether the motorist should have known a person had been struck. Authorities also may examine roadway design, signage and sightlines, though police have not said publicly whether that is part of the present criminal inquiry.
The death also drew reaction from street-safety advocates and community members near the hospital. Transportation Alternatives said Rockaway Parkway is already designated by the city as a Vision Zero priority corridor and argued that lower speeds are needed in the area. At Brookdale, the support group Elite Learners was present to help shaken residents, and hospital responder Darrell Washington told News 12 the group wanted to support the family and neighbors. “Hopefully, the family will get justice and closure,” Washington said. For people who live nearby, the crash was not only a criminal investigation but another sign of danger on a stretch of roadway many cross every day.
The case remained unsolved Friday, with police still searching for the white Ford SUV and the next major milestone likely to be the release of suspect information or an arrest announcement.
Author note: Last updated March 6, 2026.