UPDATED 1:13 P.M.
PEKIN, Ill. — Pekin Police say an investigation is ongoing after the death of a child that sent shockwaves through the community this week.
According to an updated news release issued Friday, the child wandered out into the road on 2nd Street in Pekin and got hit by a oncoming semi-truck.
It happened around 3:21 p.m. Thursday on 2nd Street near Koch Street and Hanna Drive.
“The [Pekin] Fire and AMT — they’re our ambulance service — was on scene. They were attempting life-saving measures, but were not successful,” said Billie Ingles, Pekin Police Public information Officer.
Tazewell County Coroner Charles Hanley has identified the boy as Damien Legassick, 3, of Pekin. Preliminary autopsy results indicate the cause of death was “blunt force head trauma.”
“All of us have kids, and have kids that, maybe, are grown, and have been in the situation of raising these children,” said Ingles. “It kind of hits home. It is a tough situation, especially when it is a child.”
The driver of the semi was transported to a local hospital without any injury.
This story will be updated.
