Boy, 4, killed after wandering onto highway at night

A four-year-old child has died after he wandered onto a highway while his mother and her boyfriend were asleep.

At around 4am on August 8 (local time) a motorist who had been driving along a highway in Indiana called 911 and reported that they had just hit a child.

Emergency services attended the scene to render aid and investigate.

The driver immediately got out of their vehicle and started giving CPR to the child following the crash, local news station WFIE reported.

The four-year-old boy, who has been identified as Braxton Freeze, was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a statement, Warrick County Sheriff's Office said Braxton's mother and her boyfriend were asleep in a nearby building.

Braxton had wandered out onto the street in the middle of the night.

The sheriff's department said it is not believed alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.

“The younger they are, the harder it hits,” said Warrick County Sheriff Office Chief Deputy Paul Kruse said according to WFIE.

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“Especially if you have kids of your own.”

Kruse also remarked it's not just Braxton's family who are impacted by the tragedy – the driver and the first responders are also impacted.

On Facebook, one person said it was a "nightmare" for everyone involved, adding it was "absolutely devastating".

No charges have been laid, however the crash is being investigated by the local authorities.

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