3 Kids Killed While Boarding Valley BusTALMA – Three Tippecanoe Valley students were killed and a fourth seriously injured this morning while they were boarding their school bus.
All three children who died are believed to be from the same family, according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Tony Slocum. “Obviously, that compounds the situation even more. I just can’t imagine the pain that that family is going through,” Slocum told WNDU.
Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. Superintendent Blaine Conley said in a statement that the fourth student was airlifted to a Fort Wayne hospital with serious injuries. That child is an 11-year-old boy who suffered multiple broken bones and injuries, according to WNDU. He was conscious at the hospital and is not related to the other children who were hit.
Names of the victims had not been released as of press time, but they were identified as twin 6-year-old boys and their 9-year-old sister.
The children were hit by a pickup truck while they waited at a bus stop near the 4600 block of North Ind. 25, north of Rochester, in Fulton County, Indiana State Police tweeted. WNDU reported it happened before 7:30 a.m. today.
Slocum said Fulton County Dispatch received a 911 call at 7:15 a.m. indicating a crash involving Tippecanoe Valley students on Ind. 25 at approximately 400N.
“The school bus had stopped with the stop-arm activated, facing northbound. As the students entered the road to get on to the school bus, a southbound vehicle struck four children, fatally injuring three of them,” Slocum said.
No children were in the school bus at the time of the accident.
Slocum said it was still “very, very early” in the investigation and the ISP was trying to verify all the facts, including if the pickup driver was speeding or driving recklessly.
“I don’t know why this person did not see the stop-arm extended. We all need to pay a little more attention because it’s all of our responsibility to make sure our children get to and from school safely,” he said.
He said the driver was not injured but didn’t have any further information.
The Associated Press is reporting the driver was a woman. WSBT has reported the woman is around 24 years old.
Reconstructionists were on scene to investigate the crash.
Slocum estimated Ind. 25 would be closed two to four hours for the investigation.
Updates will be posted on the TVSC Facebook as they become available, according to a Tippecanoe Valley Central Administration staff member.
Conley said all school counselors have been deployed to meet the emotional needs of staff, students and parents.
“We are awaiting to learn more confirmed details, but wish to ask the community to come together to pray for our families, students and our staff,” Conley said in the release.
