Toronto police are asking for help finding a motorcyclist who allegedly fled the scene after hitting a 4-year-old boy in the city’s east-end Sunday afternoon, leaving the child with life-threatening injuries.

The child entered the road and was hit by the motorcyclist around 1:30 p.m. on Victoria Park Ave. at Adair Rd., north of St. Clair Ave. E., Toronto police said in a news release.

The male motorcyclist and his female passenger both fled after the crash, police said.

The boy, who was with his mother, was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries to his upper body and head.

Police initially reported the boy had died, before later correcting that he was alive in hospital.

There is no crosswalk or traffic stop on Victoria Park Ave. at Adair Rd. It was not immediately clear how the boy entered the road.

The male motorcycle driver was last seen heading north on Victoria Park Ave. He described as heavy-set, white and between 40 and 50 years old. He was last seen wearing a black helmet and dark pants, according to a police news release.

He was riding a maroon Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycle with custom exhausts, Toronto police Traffic Services said. The motorcycle will have damage to the front-right turn signal, police said.

His female passenger fled on foot, also heading north on Victoria Park Rd. police said.

She is described as white, blond and in her 20s. She was wearing a black shirt, blue jeans and white running shoes. She was also wearing a black helmet similar to the driver, police said.

Police have released images of both the man and the woman and are asking anyone with information to contact investigators.

Toronto police Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook said police are also investigating what led to the inaccurate report of the boy’s death.

“The details will be explored because this is something we try to avoid,” she said. “Our main focus right now is on the family and offering them support in any way we can and on trying to locate the two suspects.”

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Victoria Park Ave. reopened from St. Clair Ave. E. to Yardley Ave. around 5 p.m. after being closed for more than three hours.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1900, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).

With files from Emma Sandri

Jacob Lorinc is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star’s radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @jacoblorinc

Raneem Alozzi is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star’s radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @r_alozzi

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