CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. -- A Cleveland County small child died Wednesday morning after wandering outside of his home. He was hit by two cars.

  • A toddler was hit and killed by a car in Cleveland County
  • Authorities say the child wandered away from home. 
  • Social Services is investigating how he got out of the house. 

Authorities are trying to figure out whether the people responsible for 3-year-old Bruce Fleming were sleeping when the accident happened along with how the child was able to leave the house.

A driver first noticed the little boy, who wandered outside his house onto South Post Road just before 6 a.m. They pulled over to try and get the child out of harm's way, but it was too late.

The child was being watched by his grandmother and teenagers because his parents were working night shift.

We’re told mom and dad are very distraught. One trooper even adding this was a hard situation to handle.

"Before 6 a.m. this time of the year it’s still dark out. [The] child was wearing dark clothing. Those two drivers will probably not be charged due to the fact it was an unforeseen accident at this point,” Trooper Ray Pierce said with the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

A nearby resident says people speed down this stretch of road and wants better patrols in the area.