Toddler critically injured after car hit five kids, daycare worker in Oshawa, Ont.

OSHAWA – Durham regional police say a two-year-old girl was critically injured when a car struck a group of young children and a daycare worker in Oshawa.

Acting Sgt. Nicholas Gluckstein says the daycare worker was on her daily walk with five children through a residential neighbourhood this morning when they were all struck by a car while crossing the street.

He says the two-year-old girl suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital before being rushed by air ambulance to a Toronto-area trauma centre.

The officer says police are “hoping for the best” but the girl’s injuries are “very serious.”

The four other children who were hit, ranging in age from three years to just seven months, were hospitalized with minor injuries, Gluckstein said, while the adult daycare worker suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries. 

Gluckstein says the driver of the car was heading south and making a left turn through an intersection controlled by two stop signs when they struck the six pedestrians. 

“The person driving southbound, there are no stop signs for them to potentially stop and take a look around there. But five children and an adult female crossing the road is a pretty large sight to see,” the officer told reporters at the scene, noting investigators are looking into what speed the car was travelling and whether distracted driving played a role in the crash. 

Gluckstein said there’s no indication the driver, who remained at the scene and is co-operating with police, was impaired. 

He said the driver was hospitalized with minor injuries after the crash. 

Gluckstein said investigators are exploring possible charges as they continue to speak with witnesses and look to pull surveillance camera footage from residents in the area.

He urged drivers to slow down, obey the rules of the road and be aware of their surroundings.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.