Neighbors and community in shock after first grader is hit by bus, killed in Missouri
Brown lives on Oakland Hill Drive close to where the accident happened. She has lived there for nearly two decades and said it's a calm street. She told News 4 incidents like the bus accident she saw earlier Tuesday
By Jenna Rae
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FESTUS, Missouri (KMOV) — An unimaginable tragedy hitting a community just days before Christmas. Instead of planning for holiday celebrations, one Festus family is planning their first grader’s funeral. A school bus hit the child Tuesday afternoon near the intersection of Oakland Hill and Oakland Manor.
“This morning we were singing Christmas carols together. This is a bad day. It’s a bad day for our school, it’s a bad day for our community, and we’re hurting,” Clint Johnston said.
Johnston is the Jefferson R-7 School District Superintendent. Tuesday afternoon, he said they’re still processing the Plattin Primary School first grader’s death, who’s name still hasn’t been released. Not only is the Plattin Primary community mourning, but so is the Festus and Jefferson County community.
“Scary very scary. You don’t know what happened down there, so it’s just very scary and it’s a shame,” Shirley Brown explained.
Brown lives on Oakland Hill Drive close to where the accident happened. She has lived there for nearly two decades and said it’s a calm street. She told News 4 incidents like the bus accident she saw earlier Tuesday, never happen.
“In this area here, it’s very calm,” Brown said.
Around 3 p.m., the child was getting off the bus. The Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report states once the student got off the bus, he crossed in front of it. That’s when the bus driver accelerated, hitting and killing the student. State troopers said other students were still on the bus at the time.
“It was very shocking when I found out,” Brown said.
Despite Tuesday being the last day of school before Christmas break for Plattin Primary students, Superintendent Johnson said counselors will be on site at the school for the entire community if they need.
“Simply sitting down to have a conversation and letting them know it’s okay to talk. If you start by having those conversations with your children and letting them know don’t hold that in, talk to the counselors, talk to the people we’ll have available for them. We’ll find a way to get through that,” Johnston said.
As of now, state troopers nor the school district have released the first grader’s name. Troopers on scene told us since the victim is a minor, they will not be releasing the name. Troopers said the bus driver, who’s identified in the crash report, doesn’t have pending charges, is not in custody at this time, and is cooperating with the investigation.
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