Witnesses say a little girl was run over by an SUV Friday morning on her way to school.

The incident took place on the corner of 21st Street and 5th Avenue around 7:30 a.m.Resident Mariam Negron says her daughter saw through the window that the car slammed into the girl as she was trying to catch a ball she was playing with.

Negron says the victim could be as young as 6 years old.

Emergency workers say the girl was rushed to Lutheran Hospital in serious condition, but she is expected to recover.

Negron?s husband says the driver wasn?t speeding, and all that was heard was a little bump. The driver of the SUV- a mother herself- remained at the scene as police investigated.

Neighbors say the victim?s mother could often be seen bringing her two daughters to a nearby bakery before dropping them off at P.S. 172 down the street.

Residents say there are many children living in the community, and they hope everyone will be more careful. They say the roads in the area are likely to get even more congested this summer.