Arizona man arrested after toddler killed in hit-and-run driveway collision

Investigators in the state of Arizona have arrested a man accused of striking and killing a toddler with his vehicle before fleeing the scene over the weekend.

The incident

Officers responding to a report of a collision at a Phoenix intersection on Sunday, arrived to find the child in a critical condition, the Phoenix Police Department confirmed in a statement. The toddler, identified on a GoFundMe page as Baby Lupe, was transported to hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced dead.

Carlos Rojas Mora, 35, was later taken into custody in connection with the incident, police confirmed.

A preliminary investigation established that the child had not been under direct supervision at the time and had wandered into the driveway before being struck. The Department of Child Safety attended the scene in response.

The alleged flight from the scene

Following the collision, Mora allegedly brought his vehicle to a stop but then left the area in a separate vehicle, according to police. Prosecutors allege that Mora subsequently asked a friend to drive him to his native Mexico, as reported by AZ Family. Phoenix police declined to confirm this detail to PEOPLE, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

How he was caught

According to court records cited by AZ Family, Mora's friend contacted police in the nearby city of Goodyear, Arizona, to hand him in and dropped him at the station. Mora allegedly made his way to another friend's house, however, and was eventually arrested during a traffic stop whilst seated in the back of a vehicle.

Court records, as reported by AZ Family, indicate that Mora allegedly told officers he had fled because he feared the victim's father — his neighbour — owned a firearm and would cause him harm.

Family speaks out in court

Baby Lupe's parents addressed the court at Mora's initial appearance, their words reflecting both grief and anger.

"It just hurts that he just left them there to die without helping us and trying to flee and I just want justice for my son," the child's father said, according to AZ Family.

"I lost my 1-year-old son, and I'll never be able to get him back," Lupe's mother added in court. "[Mora] is not even a man, he's a monster."

Remembering Baby Lupe

A GoFundMe established to support the bereaved family described the child in warm and heartbreaking terms. "Baby Lupe had a smile that would light up the room," the page reads. "[His] mama wanted to share her babyboy with the world, she was so proud of Lupe."

Charges

Mora has been charged with hit-and-run resulting in death or injury, Phoenix police confirmed to PEOPLE. It remained unclear at the time of publication whether Mora had entered a plea or secured legal representation.