UPDATE 8:30 P.M. (9/20): The Yates County Sheriff announced Friday night that they have caught the suspect believed to be responsible in the hit-and-run death of a one-year-old Thursday.
The Sheriff's Office arrested Sarah Olsen, a 26-year-old from Penn Yan for allegedly hitting and killing the one-year-old. Olsen is charged with Criminally Negligent Homicide and Leaving the Scene of an Accident Without Reporting.
She was arraigned and released.
The Yates County Sheriff is still asking anyone with any information on the accident to contact them at (315) 536-4438.
YATES COUNTY, N.Y. (WENY) -- A hit-and-run incident in Yates County killed a one-year-old boy on Thursday afternoon. The Yates County Sheriff's Office shared more details about the incident on Friday afternoon and how the search for the suspect and the vehicle continues.
Sheriff Frank Ryan, Undersheriff Brandon Jensen, Lieutenant Arlyn Cunningham, and the rest of the Yates County Sheriff's County Office are calling on the public to aid in the investigation. There are a few things the community is being asked to keep an eye out for.
The call came into the Yates County Sheriff's Office on Thursday afternoon as a reported hit-and-run incident. It occurred near the intersection of Carroll Road and State Route 364 in the town of Benton. Officials say this area is notorious for car incidents. However, this particular one claimed the life of a one-year-old boy.
"A report came into our agency yesterday at 4:26 P.M. of a vehicle versus child motor vehicle accident," said Yates County Sheriff Frank Ryan. "CPR was performed on the scene by fire and ambulance personnel. The child was transported from the scene to Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital where the child was pronounced dead at 5:05 P.M. The vehicle involved did not stop, it fled the scene of the crash."
Investigators had the road closed for hours on Thursday night before they reopened it at 7:59 P.M. During this time, they collected evidence and conducted interviews at the scene to find out why and how the child was near the roadway in the first place.
"The child appears to have walked away from responsible family members and made it to the road unattended and unaccompanied," said Sheriff Ryan. "Child Protective Services has been advised and are involved in the investigation. Out of privacy for the family members in the Mennonite community, names are being withheld at this time."
Now, police are actively searching for the vehicle and driver involved in the incident. This is where the call to the public for help comes in.
"We are looking for a dark-colored, possibly a black GMC sport utility vehicle, possibly a GMC Acadia with front end damage and damage to the front passenger side bumper," said Sheriff Ryan. "Surrounding law enforcement agencies have been alerted to be on the lookout for vehicles with damage consistent with this accident. We are asking for the public's help in reporting any information that they may have about the crash or anything that they may have seen."
Additionally, the vehicle was described as having a single occupant/driver at the time of the incident. It then headed in a westerly direction on State Route 364.
Sheriff Ryan made another plea to the public to slow down and be cautious when driving in rural areas. At times, roads may be busier than they initially appear.
"Our community has many people walking, biking, and buggying, and traffic on our roadways is congested at times," said Sheriff Ryan. "So, we're asking that the community and the traveling motorists be careful and slow down and use due caution while they're driving."
The Yates County Sheriff's Office said it will provide updates to the public as more information becomes available.
In the meantime, they are asking anyone who has information or who might have seen anything to reach out to the Yates County Sheriff's Office. They encourage those people to call (315)-536-4438.