Florida parents mistakenly thought the other put their 3-year-old son inside their vehicle before leaving a Waffle House restaurant, but ended up running over the boy, who was still in the parking lot.

Tampa Bay Times reports that the parents of Jeremiah Rios thought their child was safely seated inside their 2007 Chevy Tahoe before leaving a Waffle House at 1412 State Road 60 in Brandon on Tuesday night. The little boy was still outside of the car and in the parking lot when it pulled off.

The boy’s father, identified as 29-year-old Guillermo Junior Montoya Rios, hit Jeremiah with the front tire of the vehicle. The impact caused significant head injuries. Jeremiah was rushed to Brandon Regional Hospital, where he passed away.

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According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the parents and seven children were at the Waffle House on the night in question. Authorities said drugs and alcohol didn’t play a factor into the incident, and it appeared to be a tragic accident.

“It’s too late for this family and had the most tragic outcome but if in the future, if we could just ask parents, slow down, make sure you’ve got everybody. We know we get caught up in our day but slow down and we can prevent a tragedy,” police spokesperson Danny Alvarez said, per 10News.

So far, no one has been charged for the boy’s death.

The story is still developing. Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.

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[Feature Photo: Pixabay]