VALDOSTA, Ga. – A 3-year-old boy was in critical but stable condition Sunday morning after he was run over by a float at the Valdosta Christmas Parade Saturday night, police said.

The boy was life-flighted to Shands Hospital in Florida, Valdosta Police Chief Brian Childress said.

The boy was on a float and either fell off it or was trying to get off it, Childress said. The child was run over by one of the float’s tires, Childress said.

Owner of A1 Towing Rhonda Waldroup said the float was being driven by an A1 Towing truck driver as a favor after the original driver couldn’t make the parade. The actual float belonged to Coastal Plain Schools, Waldroup said.

Each child on the float had an adult supervising them and all of the children were supposed to be sitting down, Waldroup said.

“We’re very stricken and very sad that this happened,” Waldroup said. “We’re praying for the family and the child.”

The police chief originally reported the float belonged to A1 Towing.

Childress said police officers were immediately on scene, and the boy was taken to South Georgia Medical Center before being transported to Shands Hospital.

“We’re praying for the child and hoping for the best,” Childress said.

The VPD is conducting an investigation into the incident, Childress said.

John Stephan writes for the Valadosta, Georgia Daily News.