Kianna Underwood, a former child star on Nickelodeon, passed away in a hit-and-run incident in Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York, on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. She was 33.
The event occurred about 6:43 a.m. at the intersection of Pitkin Avenue and Mother Gaston Boulevard. A 9-1-1 call led police to the scene, where they discovered that multiple vehicles had hit Underwood.
Reports from the New York Police Department reveal that a black Ford Explorer SUV was going west on Pitkin Avenue when the driver crossed a double yellow line to overtake another vehicle. The SUV hit Underwood as she was trying to cross the intersection.
Underwood, lying on the road after the initial collision, was hit again by a black and gray sedan. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Both drivers left the scene, and no arrests have been made up to now. The NYPD Highway District Collision Investigation Squad from the 73rd Precinct is presently investigating the case.
Surveillance footage from the investigation shows the accident. Underwood’s body was found at Pitkin Avenue and Osborn Street, two blocks away from the original collision point.
Police records state that Underwood was homeless at the time of her death.
Underwood started her career in entertainment as a child, providing the voice for Fuschia Glover in the Nick Jr. show “Little Bill” from 1999 to 2004. She was part of 23 episodes of the animated series.
In 2005, she played in seven episodes of Nickelodeon’s “All That,” a popular children’s sketch comedy show. The show starred performers such as Kenan Thompson, Nick Cannon, and Amanda Bynes. “All That” was Underwood’s final known role in television or film.
Beyond her work in TV, Underwood showed her stage talent in the national tour of “Hairspray” as Little Inez. She also had a role in the movie “The 24 Hour Woman.”
Angelique Bates, an original cast member of “All That,” raised concerns about Underwood’s well-being in 2023. Bates attempted to bring attention to Underwood’s difficulties via Instagram.
“Everything that’s happening right now, I pretty much predicted,” Bates said. “I said, are people going to wait ’til it’s too late? That she’s gone or she’s in jail?”
Bates expressed her hope that Underwood would be remembered for her talent and humor. “As much as she loved her supporters, as much as she loved the franchise, I think she would have loved to know that that love was reciprocated,” she stated.
The tragic hit-and-run incident underlines the ongoing issue of pedestrian safety in New York City, especially in areas with heavy traffic. New York law states that hit-and-run incidents, where drivers leave the scene without providing aid or information, carry serious legal consequences.
The Brownsville neighborhood in eastern Brooklyn has faced various safety issues over the years. Pitkin Avenue, a major commercial thoroughfare in the area, has significant vehicle and pedestrian traffic throughout the day. The intersection where the crash occurred is frequently used by locals and commuters.
Ensuring the safety of marked crosswalks remains a key concern in urban areas. Under New York traffic law, pedestrians using these crosswalks have the right of way, and drivers are expected to yield. The double yellow line violation involved in this incident puts both oncoming traffic and pedestrians at severe risk.
The investigation into Underwood’s death is ongoing as authorities strive to identify and locate the drivers of both vehicles involved in the fatal collision. The New York Police Department has urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
Underwood’s passing is a tragedy not only for her loved ones but also for the community of former child performers and the fans who remember her work on Nickelodeon programs that entertained a generation of young viewers in the late 1990s and early 2000s.