Deputies with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office have confirmed that a 2-year-old boy was hit and killed by a train in Zephyrhills. A 26-year-old woman was also hit and injured.

  • Boy, 2, and woman, 26, hit by train
  • Boy died, woman in stable condition
  • Authorities say the crash occurred near Pattie Rd and Paul S. Buchman HWY

The boy was identified as Hunter Fink. His babysitter was identified as Heather Henderson. She is in stable condition. 

Multiple 911 callers dialed in just before noon, informing authorities of the troubling scene.   

The toddler and woman were both flown to area hospitals, according to first responders.

Authorities said Hunter and his 4-year-old sister were walking along the train tracks with Henderson and Cody Williams. 

When they realized a train was coming, officials said Williams grabbed the 4-year-old girl and jumped off the bridge - about 8 feet - to safety. The train conductor, meanwhile, also made what effort he could to avert tragedy.

"That conductor sees them on the bridge, running, he starts laying on the horn," said Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco. "That conductor did everything he could to warn them."

Henderson was holding Hunter but was unable to jump out of the way in time, officials said. They were both hit by the train. 

"This train is 133 cars long, moving at about 60 miles per hour," said Nocco. "It's not going to stop on a dime. It's not going to see somebody and just stop. It's going to take a mile and a half to stop this train and that's exactly what it did."

The train tracks where the crash occurred are located in a densely wooded area. Investigators say the tracks are elevated roughly 6-feet, due to marshy and often rocky terrain.

Neighbors watched helplessly as both victims were rushed to the hospital.

"I mean, it was pretty hard because he had his little sister over there, she's crying and stuff," said neighbor Jonathan Gerald.

Sheriff Nocco said it's still early in the investigation, and currently the focus for his department is helping the family.

"This is a tragedy," said Nocco. "There's no other way to say it. There's a family that is suffering greatly right now. More than anyone can imagine."