Authorities said the 1-and-a-half-year-old boy who was struck and killed outside a home in West Park was hit by his own mother. According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Wilson Matias Jr. ran out of the residence, located along the 100 block of Allen Road when he was struck by a white 2024 Che vrolet Suburban, shortly after 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Detectives said the toddler’s mother, 33-year-old Ericka Cante Hernandez, was behind the wheel of the the SUV and was driving the vehicle out of the driveway at the time of the crash. BSO deputies and Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue units responded to the scene shortly after. Paramedics transported Matias to Memorial Regional Hospital, where he succyumbed to his injuries. The fatal crash left residents of this West Park neighborhood in shock. “Oh, my God. It hurt me to my heart,” said an area resident. “We see the kid, I’m about to cry, man, ’cause I see it, you know?” Tuesday morning, West Park Mayor Felicia M. Brunson stopped by the home to offer her support. “This is a tragic situation, and we just wanted to let them know that the City of West Park cares,” she said. The young victim’s lilac-colored Crocs remained in the driveway, a painful reminder of the child who had been there hours earlier. Just feet away from the shoes, a red sign with white lettering attached to the mailbox reads, “Drive like your kids live here.” Now a devastated family is holing on to memories and mourning the little boy they called their “beloved little angel” in a GoFundMe page created for the family. “You never know what can happen when you wake up in the morning. Take advantage of every day, love your family, love your friends,” said Brunson. “Live life, because you never know when it can be gone in a second.” Matias would have turned 2 years old in December. His death is the third of a toddler reported within a week in Broward County, following hot car deaths in Plantation and Hallandale Beach. The investigation into the crash is active and ongoing. However, detectives believe it was accidental in nature. If you would like to help Matias’ family with funeral expenses, click here. ...read more read less