SALEM - A 3-year-old girl happy to see her father come to pick her up ended up riding in an ambulance to Salem Hospital after she was struck by her father's unattended car - which was rolling in gear.

A young girl, whose name was not released by police, suffered a broken leg when the car owned by David Gomes, 28, of Beverly struck his daughter in the leg, police said.

Gomes wasn't behind the wheel at the time of the accident, police said.

Gomes drove down narrow Aborn Street, where his mother, Ana Gomes, lives and pulled up to her driveway. Police say Gomes saw his daughter run in front of the BMW 540i he was driving, and he got out to prevent her from running out into the street. Piles of snow line the sides of Aborn Street, near the Peabody line.

Gomes told police he thought he had placed his car in park, but the BMW continued to roll forward and the front bumper struck the child's right leg.

Along with Salem police, the Salem Fire Department and Northshore Ambulance arrived on scene and took the girl to Salem Hospital.

Firefighters responding first heard that the child was stuck underneath the car, but she was up in her grandmother's home when police and firefighters arrived.

The child's grandmother confirmed what had happened, and police did not issue a citation to Gomes.