Child struck and killed by Amazon delivery vehicle in Kansas City park
Tadens Joseph was playing in a Missouri park when he was fatally struck
A family in Missouri is in mourning after a four-year-old boy was struck and killed by the driver of an Amazon delivery truck on Monday.
According to updates from the Kansas City Police Department, young Tadens Joseph was playing in a grassy area near the 1800 block of E. 3rd Terrace when the incident occurred.
An Amazon-marked delivery van had just completed a nearby delivery and was travelling west when Joseph entered the roadway and was fatally struck.
The police report indicates that the vehicle initially stopped but then left the scene, prompting the boy’s mother, Tanael, to pursue the driver.
"I shook the woman driving it, insisting that she had killed her son," Tanael told The Kansas City Star. Although the driver initially denied involvement and departed the area, she was later taken into custody.
Joseph’s family, who are originally from Haiti, described him as a "sweet baby" who loved pizza, school, and Spider-Man.
Amazon expressed deep sympathies in a statement, noting that while the van was marked with their branding, delivery drivers are typically employed by independent partners.
The driver was released on Wednesday, pending further investigation after police conferred with prosecutors. The vehicle remains in police custody for processing as authorities work with both Amazon and the local third-party delivery company.
A staffer from Joseph's school reflected on the tragedy, describing him as a "refreshing little kid with a sweet smile" whose absence has left a profound void in his classroom.