POMPANO BEACH (CBS4) – A family is mourning the loss of a three-year old boy who died after being struck by a van Sunday morning.

Family members said Deshae Gordon was just trying to retrieve his tiny red football when the van ran over him.

“My tire go ‘grudum’, so I say what happened? What is that,” said Abaner Penetus as he threw his hands on top of his head.

Penetus, who was driving his church’s van, had just dropped off congregation members when he was passed in front of the Forum Hotel on SW 3rd Street in Pompano Beach just before 11am. He said he heard the noise beneath his tire and he pulled over. When he got out of the van he couldn’t believe his eyes.

“I see the baby there, wow, oh my goodness,” he said.

Gordon was rushed to Holy Cross Hospital and then transferred to the Broward Medical Center where doctors pronounced him dead. His relatives gathered outside the hospital hugging and sobbing.

Back at home Penetus was also overcome with sadness.

“I got eight kids. I don’t like to hit anything,” said Penetus. “Oh my God this is really sad for me, I got my baby. I don’t like it. I’m very sad, very hard for me.”

Broward Sheriff’s Office investigators said the investigation is ongoing but Penetus likely will not be cited for anything.