Police and school officials in Louisville, Kentucky continue to seek answers as to why a 16-year-old student exited his Jefferson County Public Schools bus while it was driving down the street, reports WLKY.
The student and 32 others were being transported from school back to Uspiritus-Brooklawn, a group home and state agency school for abused, neglected and chemically dependent children, when the incident occurred on Monday afternoon. District spokeswoman Allison Martin told School Transportation News that Jefferson County Public Schools provides education for Uspiritus.
Dr. Martin Pollio, the district’s acting superintendent since July 2, told WLKY that he reviewed school bus video footage that shows several adults on the bus attempting to help the student and keep the boy from exiting the loading doors. But they were unable to stop him.
He added that grief counselors were made available to students, staff and the school bus driver.
Uspiritus took to its Facebook page on Tuesday to mourn the student’s death.
“The Uspiritus family is obviously devastated at the tragic event that occurred on Monday. We ask for your thoughts and prayers in the coming days and beyond as we try to come to grips with such a painful loss,” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, Louisville police are expected to release additional information from the investigation later this week.
The incident was the second such student fatality in two months. Idris Alford, a 14-year-old student in Springfield, Illinois, died on May 30 after jumping out the rear emergency exit. According to his family, Alford was dared to jump.
