Gardaí looking for witnesses as Cork toddler in induced coma after hit-and-run

A toddler who was seriously injured in a hit-and-run incident in Cork yesterday has been transferred to hospital in Dublin.

The three-year-old boy was struck by a car in the Castle Meadows estate off the Skehard Road in the Mahon-Blackrock area yesterday afternoon at around 4pm. He had been playing in the front garden of a home and followed a ball out on to the road of what's been described as a quiet estate. The vehicle did not stop after the collision and fled the scene, according to Gardaí. Pedestrians rushed to the boy's aid and emergency services were on the scene within minutes. He wa taken to Cork's University Hospital by ambulance but late last night was moved to Temple Street Children's Hospital in Dublin. The boy is understood to be in an induced coma with a broken collarbone and other injuries, reports Breaking News. His condition is described as critical but stable. The scene of the accident was closed off by Gardaí while forensic investigators conducted an examination. The car believed to be involved in the incident, a blue Mazda 6 saloon, was found abandoned around 1km away. Gardaí are appealing for anyone who was in the Castle Meadows or Skehard Road area between 3.30pm and 4.30pm and who may have seen the car, including motorists with dash cams installed, to come forward. No arrests have yet been made. The Gardaí can be reached on the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or at Anglesea Street Garda Station on 021 4522000.