5-year-old abandoned after relatives flee car crash along I-10 in Balcones Heights, police say

Witnesses said one man handed them the child before running away

SAPD and BHPD appear to arrest a suspect in a crash on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. (ksat)

SAN ANTONIO – A 5-year-old girl was abandoned by her relatives after they fled a car crash along Interstate 10 in Balcones Heights, according to police.

Balcones Heights Police Chief John Jahanara said the child’s relatives, believed to be her father and uncle, were driving her to school when they crashed on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 near Crossroads Boulevard on Tuesday morning.

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Their vehicle was the only one involved in the wreck, and it is unclear what caused the crash.

The vehicle rolled over and afterward, witnesses saw the two men pull the girl from the wreck, Jahanara said.

Jahanara said one of the men handed the child to a witness and told that person to take her to a hospital. Both men then ran away from the scene.

San Antonio police found one man, believed to be the uncle, in the 2000 block of West Avenue. They did not find the father.

However, Jahanara said officers found identification for her father and mother in the vehicle and they’re trying to get in touch with family members.

The girl was taken to a hospital in stable condition. Her injuries, if any, are unknown at this time.

When police took the uncle into custody, he was crying out and putting up a struggle. His name has not been released by the police.

At this time police do not know why the two men ran from the scene.

Authorities investigate a crash in the area of Interstate 10/Loop 410 and Crossroads on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. (ksat)

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About the Authors:

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.