A vehicle crashed into a day care center in Florida Wednesday, killing a 4-year-old girl and injuring 14 other people.
A fire official said 12 children and one adult were taken to area hospitals in the aftermath of the crash, NBC Orlando affiliate WESH reported. Two people were treated at the scene.
The children had injuries ranging from minor to critical, officials said, adding that one child was pinned by the vehicle.
Police said a Dodge Durango crashed into another car, a Toyota Solara, that then struck the KinderCare building in Winter Park.
The Dodge fled the scene, but police were able to locate it hours later after the driver abandoned it outside of a house. Neighbors told WESH that they do not recognize the vehicle as one that is usually in the neighborhood.
The driver, 28-year-old Robert Alex Corchado, is not in custody, Florida Highway Patrol officials said.
Officials also told WESH Corchado allegedly rented a black Mazda SUV with a Florida license tag of CHR Q41 Wednesday evening.
Corchado’s criminal record is littered with drug charges, including the possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to sell, and careless driving charges, including a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of a crash that involved property damage.
More than 50 children were inside the daycare at the time of the crash, fire officials said. The children have been reunited with their parents.
"We are heartbroken that several of the children in our care and an adult were injured in an accident today," Colleen Moran, a spokeswoman for KinderCare, said in a statement.
"Our thoughts are with all of our families and staff, and we are pulling for those who have been injured to quickly recover from this tragic accident," she added.
The daycare tends to children aged 6 weeks to 12 years old.