The woman killed in a horrific hit and run incident in Brooklyn early Friday morning has been identified as Kianna Underwood, a former Nickelodeon child star, according to law enforcement sources.
Underwood, 33, was fatally struck around 6:50 a.m. while crossing the intersection of Watkins Street and Pitkin Avenue in Brownsville. Authorities say she was hit by a black Ford SUV traveling westbound on Pitkin Avenue. Surveillance footage shows the vehicle continuing for nearly a full block as Underwood was dragged underneath before her body fell into the roadway.
The driver did not stop.
Underwood was later found with severe trauma at the intersection of Osborn Street and Pitkin Avenue and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver fled, and as of this writing, no arrests have been made.
Investigators believe Underwood had just exited a nearby bodega and may have been crossing against the traffic signal. Sources say the driver may not have initially realized they struck a pedestrian, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Underwood appeared on the final season of Nickelodeon’s sketch comedy series All That in 2005, joining a cast that included Amanda Bynes, Nick Cannon, and Kenan Thompson. She was also known for her role as Fuschia Glover, the cousin of the title character on Nickelodeon’s animated series Little Bill, which aired from 1999 to 2004.
Her acting résumé extended beyond children’s television. Underwood portrayed Tanessha Labelle in the 1999 comedy film The 24 Hour Woman, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and had a minor role in the 2003 satirical Hip Hop film Death of a Dynasty, starring Kevin Hart. She also spent a year on stage as Little Inez during the first national tour of Hairspray, according to her IMDB profile.
The incident has left many shaken, adding to ongoing concerns about pedestrian safety and accountability in hit and run cases across New York City.
The investigation continues as authorities search for the driver responsible.