Toddler struck and killed by tow truck while lying in the road in Maine

A toddler died Wednesday in Maine after she was hit by a tow truck while lying in the road, according to Maine State Police. 

The 21-month-old girl was playing outside a home on Windsor Road in Chelsea when she wandered into the roadway and laid down, state police said in a press release Thursday. While she was lying there, a GMC flatbed tow truck traveling north on the road hit her.

Police and firefighters responded to the scene at 2:23 p.m., police said. They, along with witnesses, performed CPR on the girl until she was taken to Maine General Hospital where she was declared dead.

The tow truck driver, a 62-year-old Chelsea man, said he did not realize it was a child lying in the road until he hit her, according to police. It is unclear if the girl, who has not been identified, was alone at the time, or under adult supervision. 

The crash is still under investigation. No arrests have been announced, and no further details have been released. 

Chelsea is a small town of about 2,700 residents. It is located just south of Augusta.