A devastating school bus crash in Buda, Texas has left a community in mourning after a young pre-K student and the driver of a following car were killed following a field trip. According to a report from The National Desk, the accident occurred when a concrete pump truck crossed into the westbound lane on Highway 21, colliding head-on with the school bus which was carrying 55 people. Tom Green Elementary School, where the young victim attended, has canceled classes to allow the community to grieve and seek counseling.
In total, 53 students and adults were evaluated for injuries with 10 initially transported to the hospital, now five remain hospitalized, including three staff members and two students with varying degrees of recovery ahead. Martin Chiroy, the father of a 5-year-old passenger, told Fox San Antonio, “We cried tears of pain and sadness knowing our little girl was there, not being able to help her, not knowing how she was doing or if she was hurt,” reflecting the trauma inflicted upon his family and others involved. The involved bus, lacking seat belts due to being a pre-2017 model, has raised safety concerns among parents, including Sunni Surrett who questioned if seatbelts might have made a difference.
The local school authority, Hays CISD, confirmed that the bus, a 2011 model, did not have seatbelts which were not mandated until 2017 - about 40 of the district's buses are without the safety feature. Principal Jennifer Hanna informed parents there will be counseling services available on a voluntary basis, the school sharing in an update about the ongoing hospitalizations and recovery processes of the victims, according to The National Desk.
A former teacher at Tom Green Elementary has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist those affected, stating, "It's going to go to all of Tom Green, from funeral expenses to hospital bills to the teachers to the students that need support,” reported by The National Desk; this sentiment of community support is echoed through shared links by school officials. While grappling with the tragedy, Chiroy seeks to encourage his daughter to not "live in fear," and to continue riding the bus as he told Fox San Antonio. School officials anticipate a return to normal schedule on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, amidst this period of recovery and healing.
