Girl dies after being struck by a car

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (WPRI) – A young girl has died after she was hit by a car in Smithfield on Sunday.

The 12-year-old had just arrived in Rhode Island from Guatemala for a week-long camp at Mater Ecclesiae College.

She was walking along Route 44 with a group of girls and an adult chaperone when a black Honda Accord jumped the sidewalk and hit her. The impact knocked her over the guardrail and into a rocky ditch.

Eyewitnesses said she was unconscious when rescue crews arrived.

"I saw this little girl laying in the gully and my immediate reaction was to get down to her to comfort her, to just stay with her to let her know that help was on the way," said Nancy Hutchinson.

She was transported to Hasbro Children's Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

Eyewitnesses said the 80-year-old driver from North Scituate did not stop right away, but turned around and came back to the scene.

The group of young girls arrived in Rhode Island from Guatemala on Saturday.

Two other girls were also transported to the hospital, but were expected to be released.

Smithfield Police are still investigating the accident, and there is no word on whether any charges will be filed against the driver.