Two associates of the driver who was behind the wheel during a deadly Kensington hit-and-run dropped off the car to a Philadelphia Police station in West Philly early Friday morning, according to police.
Authorities recovered the white 2006 Infiniti sedan near 60th and Thompson streets in West Philly around 6 a.m., police told NBC10. Police said two people associated with the car dropped it off there -- not far from the 19th District station.
"The piece of headlight that fell off fit perfectly into the car. We're confident that we have the striking vehicle," said Police Capt. John Wilcsynski.
Wilcsynski said a woman, the girlfriend of the driver, and a man, who is the car owner, brought the vehicle to police after they saw it news coverage of the deadly hit-and-run that claimed the life of 2-year-old David Alicea Jr.
The pair, who are from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, are not suspects in the crime and are cooperating with investigators, Wilcsynski said.
They told police they let the 19-year-old suspect borrow the car while they were out of town visiting relatives, Wilcsynski explained.
Investigators have contacted the teen driver, but have not yet filed any charges.
"We're hoping that person will surrender themself," he said. Wilcsynski added that charges related to leaving the scene of a deadly accident carry a mandatory three year jail sentence.
Investigators have been searching since Monday night for the car matching the description of a white Infiniti that, police said, struck Josephine Rivera as she carried her son across Mascher Street Monday night.
Alicea died at 1:38 a.m. Thursday at St. Christopher's Hospital.
Alicea's 19-year-old mother was only a few feet from her doorstep when a white 2006 to 2008 Infinti M Series sedan struck her, investigators said. The impact sent the mother under a parked pickup truck as the boy fell to the sidewalk.
Rivera suffered head trauma in the crash. She was treated at Temple University Hospital before being transferred to St. Christopher's to be with her son. Rivera was released from the hospital Thursday.
The deadly hit-and-run crash happened less than an hour after another hit-and-run claimed the life of a 4-year-old boy in southwest Philly.
The Office of Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter announced Tuesday a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the driver in the Kensington incident. that reward increased to $20,000 after the boy's death. Wilcsynski said the reward was not discussed with the man and woman who turned the car over to police.
Witnesses told police the vehicle, which had two men inside, fled the scene on Lehigh Avenue.
The boy's family said they hope the driver and passenger turn themselves in to relieve the pain being felt by Rivera.
"She's in a lot of pain right now physically and, as you can imagine, emotionally ... reality is just about to set in," said Diana Sanchez, Rivera's cousin.
Anyone with information on the incident is urged to contact Philadelphia Police.
