KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The driver of an Amazon delivery van involved in striking and killing 4-year-old Tadens Joseph Monday night was released by police Wednesday.
On Tuesday night, a Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department spokesperson said that a subject of interest had been taken into custody after fleeing the scene of Monday night’s deadly crash.
The spokesperson said Wednesday afternoon that, following questioning, the subject was released.
“After conferral with prosecutors, she has been released pending further investigation,” the KCPD spokesperson said, saying the release was required since the subject had been in custody for 24 hours and no charges had yet been filed.
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The spokesperson said crash investigators will take several weeks to complete their review of the case before presenting their findings to the Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for consideration of charges.
The spokesperson said the delivery van would remain in police control during the investigation for processing.
Around 6:30 p.m. Monday, Tadens was playing in the grassy area of a park in the 1800 block of E. 3rd Terrace in Kansas City, Missouri.
At about the same time, the driver of the Amazon van had completed a package delivery and was driving west on E. 3rd Terrace toward Woodland Avenue when Joseph entered the roadway and was struck.
Police say the driver of the Amazon van initially stopped at the scene but then left before officers arrived. One of Joseph’s family members followed the Amazon driver and told them what had happened.
However, the driver denied involvement and left the area, per police.
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