Boy, 4, seriously hurt in Bethpage crash dies, police say

A 4-year-old boy critically injured when his grandfather lost control of their car, striking a tree in Bethpage on Monday, has died, Nassau County police said Wednesday.

At the request of the family, police have not released the name of the child or his 65-year-old grandfather.

Police said the boy died at the Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park.

The child was buckled into a car safety seat when the 2008 Nissan Altima driven by his grandfather went out of control on northbound Stewart Avenue near Arthur Avenue at 1:20 p.m., police said.

The car careened over the sidewalk, police said, striking the tree.

The grandfather also was injured, but his injuries were not life-threatening, police said.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”