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Officials are sharing an important reminder after a Florida mom accidentally ran over her 12-year-old daughter on the first day of school.
According to ABC Action News, the incident occurred around 7:45 a.m. on Monday, August 12, near Booker Middle School. The outlet reports that a mother was dropping her daughter off “in the right turn lane in front of the school.”
Amid the drop-off, the 12-year-old reportedly dropped her bookbag and items allegedly rolled under her mother’s Lincoln Navigator.
Per the outlet, the 12-year-old “crawled” under the vehicle to retrieve the items. However, her mother was unaware of her actions and began to drive away.
“She immediately stopped when she heard her child screaming,” Florida Highway Patrol member Kenn Watson reportedly explained.
According to the outlet, the 12-year-old was airlifted to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. At the time, she was reportedly in critical condition.
Additionally, FHP Watson issued an important reminder for parents and guardians participating in school drop-offs.
“Here we are, day one, and we’ve already had a tragedy,” he reportedly explained. “We’re hoping this does not happen again, but we have to remember to have that good spatial awareness when you are anywhere around a school zone and most certainly when you are letting your kid out of your vehicle.”
Per the outlet, Watson also encouraged adults to refrain from “being in a hurry” during drop-offs.
“This is a tragedy that one hundred percent could have been avoided by simply paying a little more attention and not being in a hurry,” he said.
Furthermore, LaShawn Frost, the school’s principal, urged parents to refrain from dropping children off in turning lanes rather than directly in front of the school.
“…This practice poses a significant risk to our students’ safety and the safety of others on the road,” Frost reportedly stated per ABC Action News. “We kindly ask that all parents and guardians follow the designated drop-off procedures by using the parent loop. This ensures that students enter the school safely and helps us maintain a secure environment for everyone.”
Meanwhile, another incident in a Florida school has also made recent headlines. As The Shade Room previously reported, earlier this month, an autistic 18-year-old named Brendan Depa was sentenced to five years in prison.
Depa was reportedly accused of assaulting a teacher’s aide in February 2023. The incident was reportedly prompted by the aide taking away his Nintendo Switch. Additionally, the ordeal, which allegedly left the aide unconscious, was caught on camera.
Amid Depa’s trial, mixed reactions were reportedly shared about the sentencing the autistic teen should have received for his actions.
