Child Fatality Investigation
3-year-old girl killed after wandering into street; family investigated by DCF.
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A 3-year-old girl was struck and killed by a car at 4:36 AM on June 10 after wandering out of her Manchester, Connecticut home alone, according to Hartford Daily Voice. The driver, a 49-year-old Manchester man, stayed at the scene, called for help, and has been fully cooperative with police. No charges have been filed against him.
What makes the tragedy more alarming: the Connecticut Department of Children and Families had received two separate reports about the family in the nine days before the girl died. Both reports alleged a lack of supervision, CT Mirror reported. DCF confirmed it was actively investigating the family at the time of her death.
Toddler Seen on Camera Before Fatal Collision
Security cameras in the neighborhood captured the child outside her home around 4:30 AM, according to FOX 61. Footage shows her knocking on a neighbor's front door before running toward the street. Neighbor Jeffrey Doll, who saw the footage on his doorbell camera, described the scene. "She tried to get in our front door. Then she ran back out in front on the sidewalk," Doll said.
Emergency crews rushed the girl to Connecticut Children's Medical Center. Despite life-saving efforts, she was pronounced dead. Manchester Police received the 911 call at 4:36 AM reporting a pedestrian struck near 375 East Center Street, WFSB reported.
DCF Had Two Active Neglect Reports Before Girl Died
DCF received the first report on June 1 and a second on June 5. Both cited a "lack of supervision" in the home, according to CT Mirror. DCF Director of Communications Peter Yazbak said, "We are heartbroken by the death of this young child... At the time of the tragedy, we were actively investigating the family." The agency is now assessing the safety of other children still living in the home.
DCF Chief Administrator Ken Mysogland confirmed the agency launched a full review of the family's history. He also noted that 74% of all DCF cases in Connecticut involve neglect — not physical abuse — including poor supervision, CT Mirror reported. A formal Quality Improvement Review is now underway to determine if caseworkers followed proper protocols after the June 1 and June 5 reports.
Child Advocates Say the System Failed This Family
Acting Child Advocate Christina Ghio had already criticized DCF before this incident. She argued that two neglect reports within five days should trigger emergency intervention — not a standard investigation, FOX 61 reported. The Office of the Child Advocate had also issued a warning in April 2026 about a "precipitous decline" in DCF case quality since 2022, specifically flagging failures in cases where children were left in dangerous home environments.
The OCA's 2024 fatality report found more than 40 deaths or near-deaths of children under age 5 in Connecticut since 2020 involving environmental dangers. State lawmakers are now expected to call hearings on DCF's workload and its ability to monitor supervision cases, CT Mirror reported.
Parents Could Face Felony Charges as Investigation Continues
Police have not yet released the names of the child or her parents. The investigation remains open. Legal analysts say the parents could face charges of Risk of Injury to a Minor under Connecticut law — a Class C felony — depending on how investigators determine the girl was able to leave the home unsupervised at 4:30 in the morning, according to azfamily.com.
The driver faces no charges at this time. Manchester Police have treated the collision as a traffic tragedy from the driver's side, while deferring the supervision questions to DCF and the State's Attorney. The community on East Center Street has called for traffic calming measures on what residents describe as a busy road.
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