Child dies after being hit by train in Santa Clara

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Authorities are trying to determine how a "very young minor" got onto railroad tracks in Santa Clara Saturday night and was hit and killed by an Amtrak train.

The accident occurred at 4:19 p.m. along the Union Pacific tracks in Santa Clara. Police Capt. Wahid Kazem said it isn't clear as to why the child was on the tracks or how the child got there, but stressed it was an accident and not a deliberate act. He couldn't provide the child's age.

Passenger trains operated by Amtrak and by the Altamont Corridor Express were delayed as a result of the accident. Amtrak's Capital Corridor trains in and out of San Jose, as well as one eastbound ACE train headed to Stockton were held up during the investigation.