Family of toddler hit by Phoenix police car settles with city for $10M

PHOENIX — The family of a toddler who was hit by a Phoenix police car as she and two siblings returned home after making an ice cream run has reached a settlement with the city.

The city settled the civil complaint with the family of Vanessa Andrade for $10 million, nearly two years after the accident. The city council authorized payment of $7.5 million at the June 27 meeting. Insurance will cover the rest of the payment.

Vanessa Andrade was 3 years old when she was struck in August 2016 near 68th Avenue and Bethany Home Road. She and her older brother and sister had bought ice cream from a truck parked in the neighborhood. Their mother, Tania Andrade was in the front yard.

A police report said the ice cream truck had blocked the view of the girl as she ran out into the darkened street. The officer in the car had been responding to a call nearby.

The child was taken to Phoenix Children’s Hospital in critical condition.

She suffered traumatic brain injury and has required several surgeries.

Tania Andrade and the child’s father, Virgilio Carrera, filed the complaint in June 2017.

A pretrial conference had been scheduled for the morning of Feb. 19, 2019.

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