3-year-old boy killed in Merced hit-and-run identified

A 3-year-old boy died Monday after he was struck by a pickup truck that left the scene, the Merced Police Department said.

The coroner’s office has identified the boy as Santos Alvarez.

The boy was struck around 5:50 p.m. Monday in the parking lot of a McDonald’s restaurant at 1060 W. 13th St., according to Sgt. Alan Ward.

Police were dispatched to Mercy Medical Center Merced after the boy’s father had taken him to the hospital after the incident. The father reported that his son was running in the restaurant’s parking lot. The boy ran into the path of a pickup truck traveling through the parking lot, and was struck.

The driver of the pickup then drove out of the parking lot and away from the scene, police said.

Police confirmed the child died at the hospital after being hit.

The vehicle, described by police as a white Ford F-150 pickup with a standard-size cab, was last seen heading north on R Street.

Police are asking for the public’s help identifying and locating the driver. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Merced Police Department at (209) 385-4702 or the department’s automated tipline at (209) 385-4725. Tips are confidential and callers may remain anonymous.

This story was originally published November 3, 2014 at 8:00 PM with the headline "3-year-old boy killed in Merced hit-and-run identified."