From Newsday, Nov. 3:

Mom accidentally hits son with SUV
The mother of a 4-year-old Central Islip boy accidentally struck her son with her SUV Friday afternoon when she backed up out of the family driveway, police said.

Joshua Felisberto, the injured child, was flown by police helicopter to Stony Brook University Medical Center where police said he was in guarded condition having suffered soft tissue damage, but he had no life threatening injuries.

"I think we were very lucky," said Fourth Precinct Lt. Barry Fox. "It doesn't look like it'll be as bad as it could have been."

Gladis Felisberto, 28, of Hoffman Lane, was unaware that her son was near her 2007 Nissan Pathfinder about 4:30 p.m. when she began backing out of the driveway, Fox said.

"Basically, mom started to back up and there he was," Fox said.

The vehicle went over the child and dragged him a short distance, police said, with the mother unaware that her son was under the vehicle until she heard him cry out.

She called 911 and the Central Islip/Hauppauge volunteer ambulance company responded, police said. The boy was taken to a helicopter landing site to be transported more quickly to the hospital as a precaution, police said.

Less than three months ago, a similar incident ended in tragedy. A Lindenhurst mother failed to see her 5-year-old son near her minivan outside their home in August, and she accidentally struck and killed him when she started up the vehicle and moved it a short distance.

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