Police say the driver was released while investigators prepare the case for prosecutors.
KANSAS CITY, MO — A 4-year-old boy died after an Amazon-marked delivery vehicle struck him Monday evening near Maple Park in northeast Kansas City, and the driver has since been released from custody while police continue investigating the fatal crash.
Tadens Joseph was playing near the park in the 1800 block of East 3rd Terrace just before 6:30 p.m. May 4 when the crash happened, Kansas City police said. The case now centers on what happened after impact, including why the driver left before officers arrived and whether prosecutors will file charges after investigators finish reviewing evidence.
Police said the delivery vehicle had just completed a package drop-off and was traveling west toward Woodland Avenue when Tadens went into the roadway. The vehicle struck him, and he died from his injuries. Investigators said the driver initially stopped but left the area before police arrived. A family member followed the vehicle and told the driver what had happened. Police said the driver denied involvement and left again. On Tuesday, detectives took a person of interest into custody for further investigation. By Wednesday, police said that person had been released because no charges had been filed.
The driver has not been publicly identified. Police said the release does not end the investigation. Capt. Jake Becchina, a Kansas City Police Department spokesman, said fatal crash cases often require more time than police can legally hold someone without charges. Investigators are expected to gather scene reconstruction findings, witness statements, forensic evidence, video and vehicle information before sending the case to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office. The Amazon-marked delivery vehicle remained in police custody as investigators continued their review. Police also said they had contacted Amazon and a local third-party delivery company tied to the route.
Amazon said it was cooperating with the investigation. “Our deepest sympathies are with the child’s family during this incredibly difficult time,” the company said in a statement. “We’ll cooperate fully with the Kansas City Police Department in their active investigation and defer to them for additional details.” Police have described the case as complex and said compiling the full investigative file could take several weeks. No charges had been announced as of Thursday. The crash was reported near Maple Park, a neighborhood green space in Kansas City’s Pendleton Heights area, where residents said families often gather and children play.
Tadens’ family identified him after the crash and said he loved school, Spider-Man and pizza. Family members are from Haiti and speak little English, according to local reports. A pizza he was supposed to eat Monday night remained untouched in the family’s home the next day. Neighbors described the area as a place where they often saw the family and the boy near the park. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas publicly mourned Tadens’ death and warned drivers to be careful near parks. “Please slow down while driving near our parks,” Lucas said. “Control what you can control. Keep your eyes open for our young people and our pedestrians of all ages.”
The crash added to Kansas City’s traffic death toll for the year. Local reporting, citing police figures, said Tadens’ death marked the city’s 25th traffic fatality of 2026, compared with 21 at the same point last year. Police have not said whether speed, distraction, visibility or the design of the delivery vehicle played a role. They also have not said whether nearby cameras captured the crash. A local defense attorney not connected to the case said investigators in fatal crashes often examine vehicle data, camera footage, autopsy findings and witness accounts before prosecutors make a filing decision.
Neighbor Leo Contreras, who lives across from Maple Park, said he was stunned by the collision. “You wouldn’t expect it, especially near a park,” Contreras said. “It’s pretty unbelievable.” Contreras also questioned how a driver could leave without understanding what had happened. Another neighbor, Toni Hunter, said she often saw the family in the park and called the boy’s death “really sad.” A growing memorial formed near the area after the crash, with neighbors and relatives remembering Tadens as a joyful child whose daily routines were cut short in an ordinary place close to home.
The next major step is a completed investigative file for prosecutors. Police said the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office will review the evidence and decide whether any charges apply. As of Thursday, May 7, the driver was out of custody, the delivery vehicle remained with police and the case remained open.
Author note: Last updated May 7, 2026.