An eight-year-old girl has been killed in a bizarre accident after she was hit by a school bus while waiting for a ride outside of her home.
Victim Harmoney Marie Harper from the area of Oaklawn, Kansas State, USA, died at the scene after she was struck by a Derby Public Schools bus on Wednesday, 16th August.
The schoolgirl and her brother were reportedly waiting for another bus when the vehicle full of pupils darted out from between two cars and hit her at around 7.30am in the 3300 block of East Locust, west of 47th Street South and Kansas Highway 15.
Heartbroken over the loss Harmoney’s dad Jasper Harper said: “No longer did they go outside. My wife said she heard my son screaming for his sister, and she came outside.
“I got woke up to ‘I need you now.’ I got dressed. Before I made it to the front door, I had heard, ‘Call 911, my daughter’s dead.'”
He continued: “My daughter wasn’t crossing 47th, where people are moving 40 mph. She was playing outside her home, where she felt safe.”
The devastated dad said he believes the speed of the bus played a crucial role in the accident.
Jasper then told how his daughter loved life, and added: “She was very happy all the time, she loved school, she loved everyone, she loved life, she was wonderful.”
Meanwhile Captain Benjamin Blick of Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office said no one onboard the bus was hurt in the incident and hoped that it can serve as a learning experience for parents and children.
Blick said: “If you live, you know, anywhere in proximity to a roadway you have got to have this conversation with your children about the dangers of the roadway.
“You know that vehicles can’t stop on a dime.”
Following the tragic accident Harmoney’s family turned to GoFundMe in order to seek help covering their daughter’s funeral costs.
The fundraiser said: “We are asking for help with funeral arrangements whatever people could offer for a fixed income family.
“As we know in this time of need all the good hearts of our human race will always step up to help.
“Harmoney’s laughter and smile will be forever missed.
“If you are unable to make a donation, please leave prayers and encouraging words for this family.”
At the time of writing, they had raised nearly USD 9,000 (GBP 7,050) out of the USD 10,000 (GBP 7,840) goal.
