Police searched for the driver of a white Jeep after the early Sunday crash.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A man and a 1-year-old child were killed early Sunday in a hit-and-run crash in Playa del Rey, where police said one driver fled toward the beach after two vehicles collided.
The crash was reported about 4:30 a.m. near the 6800 block of South Vista Del Mar, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. One vehicle carried three passengers, including the child. A man believed to be about 30 died at the scene, while the child and a 27-year-old woman were taken to a hospital.
The child later died from injuries suffered in the crash. Officials had not released the names of the man or child by Sunday evening. Police said the woman remained among the injured, and the cause of the collision was still unclear as investigators worked to identify the driver who left the scene.
A nearby resident, Cory Cooper, said he heard the crash and went to help. Cooper said a man was holding the child when he arrived, and the child did not appear to be doing well. “We gave him CPR, waited for 911,” Cooper said, adding that another passenger was pulled from the wreckage as bystanders tried to help.
Cooper said he called 911 and followed instructions while trying to keep the child alive until paramedics arrived. He said a woman later ran toward the crash scene and held the child, saying the boy was still warm. “We held the baby and we tried to give the baby CPR for as long as we could,” Cooper said.
LAPD said officers were looking for a man believed to be about 25 years old. The suspect vehicle was described as a white Jeep. Police said the driver ran from the crash scene toward the beach after the collision.
The investigation remained active Monday as detectives reviewed what led to the crash, who was driving the Jeep and whether any additional witnesses saw the vehicle before or after the collision.
Author note: Last updated May 4, 2026.