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4-year-old killed just after father's funeral

A 4-year-old boy was struck and killed by a passing van Saturday in Chester, hours after returning from his father's funeral.

A 4-year-old boy was struck and killed by a passing van Saturday in Chester, hours after returning from his father's funeral.

Neighbors identified the child as Carder Brown and said the boy's father had died last weekend in a shooting incident.

Police had not confirmed the identity of the boy or his family as of Saturday evening but described the chaotic scene that erupted just before 5 p.m.

According to investigators, the child had been watching a DVD in his family's gold Dodge Charger parked near the corner of East 11th and Upland Streets, on the city's east side.

He leaped from the backseat upon seeing his mother outside and was struck by a late-model Ford passenger van as members of his family looked on.

Emergency responders took the child to nearby Crozer-Chester Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.

The van's driver was taken into custody at the scene for questioning. Investigators said Saturday that the man was cooperating and that they were handling the case as an accident.

The boy's father, Derrick Brown, 38, died of gunshot wounds sustained during an incident April 5, less than four miles from the site of his son's death, police said.

As police continued to comb the accident scene Saturday evening, Chester Mayor John Linder arrived to express his condolences.

"No one wants to go through that and bury a son and then have to bury a grandson," he said. "You can't explain it."

215-925-2649

@jeremyrroebuck