Van driver accused of hitting and killing three-year-old boy blames mum for accident

A van driver accused of hitting and killing a three-year-old boy has blamed the child's mum for the tragedy.

The crash occurred at an intersection in Brooklyn, New York this week, leaving Juanchi Seda charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care.

“I can’t understand why the mother left that little kid unattended on a scooter and he attempted to cross where there is active traffic,” the 61-year-old driver told The NY Post as he left the police precinct.

As a father and grandfather himself, the man sympathised with the 25-year-old mother and the rest of little Emur Shavkator's family and says he's also been left distressed by the accident.

"It’s hard for me to find words to describe the grief and pain that I feel for her because I love children. Children are a blessing and a gift," he told the publication.

"This is going to be with me for the rest of my life," he added.

According to authorities, Emur was on his lime green three-wheel scooter and rode ahead of his mother to the pedestrian crossing.

However, Mr Seda claims the toddler wound up in his blind spot and didn't realise he'd hit the boy until he heard the mother's screams.

Getting out of his van and seeing the boy's lifeless body wedged under the tire left Mr Seda pale and feeling like he "was going to faint".

"I heard someone screaming in more agony than I have ever heard from anyone in my life. It went on and on. It was horrific," witness David Mignano, 69, said of the incident.

Other witnesses say they saw the mum cradling her boy screaming "My son! My son!"