A 4-year-old autistic girl was hospitalized with serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle Tuesday night in Spring Hill.

Around 8 p.m., Harmonie Johnson left her home on the 2400 block of Mariner Boulevard by climbing through a window. She ran across Mariner Boulevard into the path of a Ford sport utility vehicle and was struck, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The child was taken to All Children's Hospital in critical condition and has since been stabilized, authorities said.

Mariner Boulevard is a busy thoroughfare that runs through a residential area. Investigators said Harmony's mother was not aware the child left the house.

Brian Hendrickson lives in the neighborhood. His wife saw the accident and stopped to help.

Hendrickson is now trying to raise money to help the family.

"You've got a struggling mom, a child with special needs who just got injured, why wouldn't you step in and help?," he said. 

Hendrickson said John Davis of Davis Fence has agreed to put a fence around Harmonie's house.

Davis said he was happy to help. He said he once witnessed a similar accident where a child was hit by a car himself.

"I went by it and saw there were people around to help and so I just kept going and the child didn't make it," Davis said. "Later that day I saw somebody broken down and I picked him up and it was the child's grandfather and I said to myself, 'I'm never going to go past somebody else again without helping.'"

An anonymous welder is donating window guards and Hendrickson is setting up a GoFundMe page to help buy materials for the home renovations and to cover medical expenses.

"All it takes is that one second and unfortunately that second happened, so whatever we can do as a community to prevent it from ever happening again," he said.   

The driver of the SUV will not be charged, troopers said.

Hendrickson said the family has a message for the driver.

"They have no ill will, no bad feelings for the lady that hit Harmonie," Hendrickson said. "They know it was an accident and they don't blame her whatsoever."

Family members said they're hopeful they can bring Harmonie home from the hospital in a few days.