A Mississippi father collapsed in grief at a tribute to his eight-year-old daughter who was killed by a school bus while riding her bicycle this week.
Jeannelle Fredericks was struck by a yellow school bus at Cobblestone and Rockwood Drive in the town of Madison, Mississippi, about 13 miles (21 kilometers) from the state capital of Jackson on Wednesday afternoon around 4 p.m., police said.
Fredericks was rushed to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, but unfortunately did not survive the crash.
Jeannelle’s grief-stricken father called his daughter a “genius,” WPAT News reported.
However, prosecutors must decide whether to charge the bus driver.
The youth, Jeannelle Fredericks, was struck by a yellow school bus in her neighborhood at Cobblestone and Rockwood Drive in the city of Madison, about 13 miles (21 kilometers) from the state capital, on Wednesday afternoon around 4 p.m., police said.
Demetrius Mathis placed a memorial near the site. When he heard the little girl died, he told the news station, “My heart sank.” He started a memorial near the site of the wreck
School officials said none of the children on the bus were injured. After the harrowing ordeal, some students were placed on another bus or were picked up by their parents.
On Thursday, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office issued a warrant statement to address some of the rumors circulating on social media that the bus driver may have been drunk. They explained that there ‘no preliminary indicators” led them to believe the driver was impaired.
The DUI/Drug Recognition Expert on scene was standard practice. Toxicological samples have been submitted for analysis, ABC16 News reported.
The cause of the crash remains unclear.
A witness took a photo of the young girl’s bicycle stuck in the front wheel of the bus.
A heartbroken image shows the distraught parents placing balloons, flowers and cuddly toys near the busy intersection where their daughter died, staggering in pain.
Demetrius Mathis placed a memorial near the site. He told the news station that when he heard the little girl died, his “heart sank.”
‘We hear all the time that people are dying. When you hear about a little kid dying like that, it’s just different,” Mathis said.
He said he is praying for the family and praying “that God’s hand covers them and he will.”
The school bus showing the youngster’s bicycle sitting behind the front wheel
Police said their department “takes this matter very seriously” and they want “the public to know that a thorough investigation is underway.”
“We ask for continued prayers for the family, friends, students, school staff and first responders,” they said.
Many took to social media to express their devastation and became defensive of the bus driver, who has not yet been identified.
‘People should be ashamed. Don’t put the cart before the horse. The bus driver is probably devastated. Rumors are not helping this tragic accident,” one person wrote.
Another said: ‘The driver is one of the nicest people I know. I am sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that person is devastated,” they wrote.
‘It is a tragedy beyond all comprehension for the child’s family, the driver and the family. Please do not mention unsubstantiated information. It really makes something terrible unbearable for everyone involved.”
Following news of the student’s tragic death, the Madison County School District released a statement saying counselors will be available to students and staff at Madison Avenue Upper Elementary and Madison Avenue Elementary.
“We encourage parents to contact the counselor’s office at their child’s school for additional resources or support to help their children through this difficult time,” school officials said in part.