Granbury ISD pre-K student hit, killed by school bus, according to Texas DPS

An Emma Roberson Early Learning Academy student has died after they were hit by a Granbury ISD school bus Monday morning, the district said.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating the case. As of Monday afternoon, the agency had not clarified whether the driver of the bus is expected to face charges.

According to investigators, the school bus was traveling northeast on Pecos River Drive. The bus driver, a 66-year-old woman, stopped to pick up students and, as the driver started to pull away, a child ran up from the right front side of the bus and was struck.

The 5-year-old child was taken to Lake Granbury Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries according to Texas DPS.

Dale Hall lives feet away from the fatal scene.

“Well, at 6 o'clock I usually take my dog out,” Hall said. “But he was barking at that back door. I, for some reason, looked out and seen all the flashing lights.”

The flashing lights of first responders lit up the dark intersection. Neighbors told NBC 5 there is only one dim streetlight near the bus stop.

“I went out there and asked what was going on, and he told me to go back inside,” Hall said.

It wasn't until the sun came up that Hall and other neighbors realized the magnitude of the incident.

Hall snapped a picture of a child’s backpack in the middle of the road, surrounded by white markings of the deadly scene.

“It sat right out there while they had it all (blocked) off,” Hall said. “I mean, that'd break your heart if nothing else will.”

“The child’s vehicle that the dad drove was right over there,” Brian Thomas said. Thomas has lived in the neighborhood for more than 15 years. He said he recalled the child always being with a parent or older sibling.

“You know to see somebody so young go so early in life, it's just unfair,” Thomas said.

Thomas and his wife Wanda Thomas brought blue flowers on Monday afternoon.

“Just sorrow. I'm so sad for the little boy and his dad,” Wanda said. “It’s so heartbreaking.”

While neighbors may not know his name, they remember his face and hope to rally behind the family.

“He gets off the bus, runs up the street, him and his friends -- or in the mornings when I take the dog for his walk,” Hall said.

“I'm sick. I'm sick. It's horrific,” Hall said.

Eight other students were on the bus at the time of the incident however, the school district said neither they nor the bus driver were injured.

"The district has directly communicated with all families of students that were on the bus when the incident occurred," the superintendent said in a letter to GISD parents.

The district said the victim's name and age were not published out of respect for the family.

"I know you share in the devastation of this loss and may have many questions," the letter said. "We all have the expectation that students will be safe on our buses and in our district. We are already working to fully understand the situation and will share more information after we have had the time to investigate the incident."

Chaplains, school counselors and staff will be available to support grieving students and parents, the district said.

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