Florida Boy Dies After Crawling Under School Bus

A 9-year-old boy died Jan. 16 after crawling under an Orange County Public Schools bus as it pulled away in an apartment complex roundabout, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

According to WFTV-9, the child had exited the bus about 3:47 p.m., the driver started rolling forward, and then the boy ran back and went under the vehicle.

The school district issued a statement about the accident, saying:

“We are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic death of one of our precious students who was involved in a bus accident late this afternoon. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the student’s family and school community. To lose a child so suddenly and tragically is extremely difficult especially for family and friends. We will have counselors available for any student or staff member dealing with the news. Please know that OCPS is fully cooperating with the ongoing Florida Highway Patrol investigation but we ask that you keep the entire Lawton Chiles Elementary School community in your prayers as they grieve the loss of one of their own.”

No other students were aboard the bus at the time of the accident. The bus driver, 54, has worked more than a decade for the school district. The accident remains under investigation.