A 21-month-old girl was struck and killed by an Amtrak train in Springfield on Wednesday evening, authorities said. Police responded to the tracks behind the 0–100 block of Emily Street at about 6:15 p.m., and the child was taken to Baystate Medical Center, where she later died.
Scene and response
Officers and multiple emergency crews rushed to the area and cordoned off the tracks while investigators worked the scene, according to Western Mass News. The outlet reported that police later updated the child’s age Thursday to 21 months and said the incident remains under investigation.
What officials said
Springfield Police Officer Ryan Walsh wrote on X that the child "succumbed to her injuries," as reported by The Boston Globe. An Amtrak spokesman told CBS News Boston the train was traveling from Albany to Boston and that Amtrak is cooperating with local authorities.
Rail safety and local projects
The crash comes amid long-standing plans to reconfigure tracks at Springfield Union Station to reduce conflicts between passenger and freight movements, a project detailed in a big rail makeover. MassDOT has secured federal CRISI funding to advance the Springfield track reconfiguration project, the agency announced in a 2024 press release as part of the state’s Compass Rail push.
Investigation continuing
Springfield police detectives, under the direction of Captain Trent Duda, are leading the probe, The Boston Globe reported. Western Mass News said investigators had reached out to Amtrak Police but had not yet heard back as of Thursday morning.
City officials have not released the child’s name pending family notification, and no criminal charges have been announced. This story will be updated as Springfield police and Amtrak release additional information.
