7-Year-Old Struck by Vehicle at Sanford Park, Expected to Recover

A 7-year-old child was struck by a slow-moving vehicle in the parking lot of Kiwanis Family Park in Sanford on Monday, March 9, and was transported to UNC Hospitals for evaluation with non-life-threatening injuries. Sanford police said the child is expected to be OK.

Witnesses at the scene, along with the child and the child's parent, told police the child had been at a food truck set up in the parking lot when the incident occurred. The child ran from the food truck toward the family's vehicle and was struck. According to city officials, the driver was obeying all posted park rules and moving very slowly when the child ran in front of the vehicle. The incident is being treated as an accident, and no charges have been reported.

The City of Sanford issued an official News Flash describing the incident, referring to the child as "unattended" at the moment of impact. That characterization appears to conflict with statements gathered by police, which note that both the child and the child's parent were among those who provided an account of what happened. The city has not clarified the discrepancy, and follow-up with Sanford police and the city communications office is pending.

As of midday Tuesday, no incident report had been posted to the city's public P2C reporting system. The city's official notice was posted on the same day as the incident, but no incident number, responding officer names, or vehicle description have been made available through public channels.

Kiwanis Family Park, located off Horner Boulevard, is a regular venue for community events in Sanford; the city's own website lists recent activities at the park including newly installed concrete games. The presence of a food truck in the parking lot at the time of the incident raises questions about pedestrian and vehicle traffic management during vendor events, though no official review or policy change has been announced.