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Police Search For Hit-And-Run Driver Accused Of Killing Woman Holding 2-Year-Old Son In El Sereno

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Police are looking for a hit-and-run driver who struck and killed a woman as she carried her 2-year-old son across a street in El Sereno Wednesday night.

Police say the 32-year-old woman was standing in the middle of Alhambra Avenue at around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday when she was struck by a westbound vehicle.

The impact hurled her into eastbound lanes where she was struck by a pickup truck. Her son was thrown 50 feet down the road.

Paramedics pronounced the woman dead at the scene and the little boy was hospitalized for treatment of head lacerations.

The woman has been identified as Alicia Bello.

The first driver fled but the pickup driver stayed at the scene and was questioned and released.

The suspect vehicle may be a Honda SUV with left side damage, police said.

A reward of up to $50,000 is available to community members who provide tips leading to the suspect's identification, police said.

Thursday evening, CBS2's Rachel Kim spoke to Bello's distraught husband, Jaime Cardona.

"It's taking everything I got to stay strong," he said, "my kids need me, you know."

He told Kim he isn't sure how to tell 2-year-old Romeo and their two other children that their mother isn't coming home.

Cardona can't believe the first driver did not stop.

"A child flew from her hands. And he kept going. I don't understand that. Who does that? Accidents happen, own up to it," he said. "I can accept an apology but I can't accept a coward who runs."

Romeo suffered scratches to his head but is expected to be okay.

The family has set up a GoFundMe account. Click here for for more info.

Anyone with information was asked to contact the LAPD Central Traffic Division Detectives at (213) 833-3713 or Detective Felix Padilla at (213) 486-0753.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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