Santa Clara Child Killed By Amtrak Train Removed Backyard Fence To Get On Tracks
SANTA CLARA (CBS SF) -- A child fatally struck Saturday by an Amtrak train in Santa Clara was a local 5-year-old boy, the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office said Wednesday.
The boy was identified as Leonardo Shiyanga-Ommani, a Santa Clara resident. He was struck just before 4:20 p.m. Saturday along the Union Pacific tracks in Santa Clara.
Wednesday, Santa Clara police said dispatchers received reports that a child was running on the tracks near Lafayette Street south of Laurelwood Road.
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Police said dispatchers immediately notified Union Pacific and asked them to stop all train service in the area, but it was too late. Leonardo had been struck by an Amtrak train and died.
Union Pacific police are investigating the crash. Santa Clara police are looking into how the boy got on the tracks.
So far, Santa Clara police believe Leonardo was playing in the backyard of his parent's home when he apparently removed a couple of boards in the fence that surrounded the yard. The boy left the yard and got onto the tracks without his parents' knowledge.
His parents were inside the house. Santa Clara police said it appears the boy was gone only a few minutes before someone saw him near the tracks. The boy's parents have cooperated in the police investigation and told officers that their son had special needs.
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