A Layton girl struck by mail truck in her neighborhood Wednesday is expected to survive her injuries.

The 3-year-old was playing across the street from her home near 800 North and Amethyst Street. She followed the mail carrier as he stopped at about three houses and stepped in front of the truck, said Robert Vunder, spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service.

The carrier moved the child off the street and told her to go home, Vunder said, but she instead continued to follow him to another two houses. He again told her to return home, Vunder said.

When the mail carrier, 62, started his truck again, he felt a bump on the back tire and stopped to discover the girl had been struck, Vunder said. Initially the girl was reported to have been run over, but investigators now believe the tire bumped into her.

A helicopter flew her to Primary Children's Medical Center with a laceration on her buttocks and tire tracks on her back, said Layton police Lt. Quinn Moyes.

The girl was expected to remain in the hospital overnight for observation and be released today, said Layton Sgt. Rod Dixon.

The girl was playing outside alone, said her aunt, Three-na Muty.

Muty said the girl and the carrier are friends, and she may have followed him because he has given candy to her.

The Postal Service discourages carriers from giving candy because it attracts children to the street, Vunder said. Vunder said investigators did not know whether the letter carrier on Amethyst Street offers candy.

"He's been on this route for a long time, and everybody likes him," Vunder said. Today's collision was the carrier's first in 32 years delivering mail, Vunder said.

"He's a very conscientious person," Vunder said.

The carrier and his supervisor will decide when or if he should resume his route, Vunder said. The collision remains under investigation by police and the Postal Service.