LAFAYETTE, LA.. (KLFY) -- An eight-year-old boy, Ian Williams, was struck by a car while riding his bike on Moss Street in Lafayette on Friday evening, and the driver fled the scene.

The incident occurred just before 7 p.m., leaving Ian with a mild concussion, bruising, and elevated liver enzymes. He was rushed to the hospital and spent the night under observation.

"My family is not at peace. I'm not at peace. My son is not at peace. And we just want peace," said Ian's mother, Natori Williams, who was out of town when she received the distressing call.

Natori Williams described her panic upon learning about the accident, expressing disbelief that someone would hit her son and not stop.

"I literally went into panic mode," Natori Williams said. "This is my son we're talking about. You know, this is an eight-year-old we're talking about."

Ian is now recovering at home, but the experience has left him traumatized.

"He's pretty scared in the car. It's almost like he's suffering with PTSD," Natori said. Despite the pain, she described her son as a fighter and a soldier.

Police are still searching for the driver. A bystander reported seeing someone run from the car, but investigators have not yet identified the person responsible.

Natori Williams is determined to find justice for her son. "I just want him, he or she, whomever it is, to be held accountable for this, because this is not okay," she stated.

Ian's mother is grateful for the support her family has received and urges anyone with information to contact the Lafayette Police Department by dialing 911 or 337-291-8600.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KLFY. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KLFY staff before being published.

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