The father of former Nickelodeon child star Kianna Anderson has expressed his profound grief following her death in a hit-and-run collision in New York. Kianna, aged 33, was struck and killed by an unidentified driver in Brooklyn last Friday morning.
A Tragic Morning in Brownsville
According to sources speaking to the New York Post, the incident occurred just before 7am on Friday. The New York Police Department confirmed to The Daily Mail that a 33-year-old woman was killed while crossing Pitkin Avenue in the Brownsville area of Brooklyn. The driver responsible fled the scene, leaving the victim's body on the street.
Disturbing details emerged from video footage obtained by the New York Daily News from a local laundromat. The footage reportedly showed the driver, in a grey vehicle, dragging the victim for over two blocks before her body rolled onto the street. Kianna Anderson, who had appeared on popular Nickelodeon shows like All That and Little Bill, was pronounced dead when emergency services arrived.
A Father's Heartbreaking Plea
One day after the tragedy, Kianna's devastated father, Anthony Underwood, shared his anguish in a poignant Facebook post. He drew a harrowing comparison to a past experience of seeing a fox hit by a car in the Catskills Mountains.
"Another driver pulled over and picked the fox up who was still alive and put it on the side of the road," he recalled. "All I can think about is did anyone show my baby that same compassion, as someone ran her over like roadkill."
Anthony concluded his post with a desperate question for any witnesses: "Did anyone try to comfort my baby as she layed dying in the street alone, or did they just stand around with their phones." In an earlier post, he had asked for time for the family to process the devastating news.
Remembering a Nickelodeon Star
Kianna Anderson found fame as a child actor, securing her big break on the iconic Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That. She appeared in seven episodes during the show's tenth and final season in 2004 and 2005, effectively replacing Jamie Lynn Spears. The series launched the careers of stars including Kenan Thompson and Amanda Bynes.
Her IMDb page also lists roles in the film The 24 Hour Woman and she voiced a character in the animated movie Santa Baby!. Beyond screen work, she toured with the stage musical production of Hairspray.
In recent years, she had stepped away from acting and was believed to be living in New York City. A resurfaced social media video showed a New Yorker recognising her and asking if she was on All That, to which she happily confirmed, "Yes, of course."
Community Shock and Ongoing Investigation
The local community in Brownsville expressed shock at her death. Sparkle Mathis, a restaurant owner, told the New York Daily News, "We, around here, know her as the Disney child star. But the show is actually, I just found out today, Nickelodeon."
Another neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said Kianna's boyfriend had been cooking breakfast for her when she left that morning. "He was just talking to her and he was begging her to stay inside the house," the man revealed, adding, "She always had good spirits, happy, good energy. It was very sad to hear that it was her."
The NYPD confirmed that no arrests have been made and the investigation into the hit-and-run is active. Police are continuing their hunt for the driver of the grey vehicle who fled the scene.
