6-year-old boy, mother killed in Mamaroneck school bus accident

MAMARONECK, N.Y. -- A young boy and his mother died after they were struck by a school bus in Mamaroneck Thursday morning, police said. 

It happened at around 8:40 a.m. on Mamaroneck Avenue about two blocks from Mamaroneck Avenue Elementary School, near the entrance of a busy shopping plaza with a grocery and a drug store. 

The boy, 6, died on the scene. His mother, 43, was rushed to the hospital, but ultimately succumbed to her injuries.

According to police, the school bus carrying special education students was on New Street and turning left on Mamaroneck Avenue with the light when it struck the two. Nobody on the bus was injured.

Mamaroneck Police Chief Sandra Diruzza said the victims were in the crosswalk and had the "walk" sign.

"Motorists are supposed to yield to pedestrians that are in the crosswalk. That's the way that intersection works. We're still investigating, looking over video footage to see exactly what happened," Diruzza said.

"There were dozens of kids around. Very congested there every morning. Couple people running around screaming," Mamaroneck resident John Hunter said.

Hunter said he was driving home from church when he saw the immediate aftermath, including EMTs tending to the mother and the young victim lying in the road.

"You could see it was a horrific accident, and catastrophic," Hunter said.

The driver of the bus, 68, stayed on the scene, gave a blood sample and is cooperating fully, police said. They called the incident "a tragic accident," and said so far there are no charges pending. 

Mamaroneck police and members of the prosecutor's office were on the scene, along with someone from Royal Coach Lines, which operates the school bus. 

The boy was a kindergarten student at the school. 

"This morning there was a serious accident involving a child and adult on Mamaroneck Avenue. The individuals were struck by a vehicle while walking to school and transported to a local hospital," Mamaroneck Schools Superintendent Dr. Charles Sampson wrote in a message to the schools community. 

The end of the school year is just days away.   

"I'm devastated. This is so sad. They've got to do something. They've got a crosswalk here, no crossing guard here. He's down at the next block. I don't know what happened, but I am heartbroken. Very sad," Charlene Phillip said. 

"It's horrifying. School is almost over. There is no reason to even happen," Maryann Murphy said. "It's also a reminder for drivers: Slow down. You're in a school zone. There's signs posted everywhere." 

Earlier, Mamaroneck schools released the following statement: 

Dear Mamaroneck Schools Community,

It is with profound sadness that we share with you that one of our kindergarten students at MAS and his mother were struck by a vehicle while walking to school this morning. Tragically, the student did not survive and the parent is being treated at an area hospital. 

There is nothing more difficult for a community to experience than the loss of life, and we know that everyone in the Mamaroneck and Larchmont communities is heartbroken by this news. We also know that the death of a child is particularly difficult for other children to process.  At this time, we have informed our staff of this incredible loss, and social workers and psychologists are fully deployed at MAS. 

We are mobilizing our crisis support teams and working with the Larchmont Mamaroneck Community Counseling Center, The Bereavement Center of Westchester, The Mobile Crisis Team, our school psychologists, and our social workers across all schools. We are also working through the logistics of providing a place where families can gather for support and community. At this time we have confirmed that we will be offering an opportunity for the community to meet with mental health professionals tomorrow, Friday, June 21st, beginning at noon at the MAS building. 

We ask that you please work with us to respect the needs of the family and our community through this tragedy. Please do not come to MAS nor any of our schools at this time. Schools will be dismissed on their regular schedules today. We will be in touch with additional information when it is available.