'Devastating': Boy, 9, dies after crawling under school bus at Orlando apartment complex
A 9-year-old boy died after being run over by a school bus in Florida Tuesday.
According to a Florida Highway Patrol press release shared with USA TODAY Wednesday, the boy exited the Orange County Public School bus at the Waterford East Apartments in Orlando.
The bus driver, a 54-year-old man, proceeded to drive forward, but the boy ran back and crawled under the bus. The right, back tire of the bus hit the boy and he was pronounced dead on the scene.
Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson Lt. Tara Crescenzi told Fox 35 at the scene that an investigation was ongoing as of Tuesday afternoon, pending video review.
"It is absolutely devastating for this family that is here, but also for our investigators that have to investigate this type of scene," Crescenzi said.
More: 'It was a nightmare': 2 children dead, 6 injured after bus crashes into day care in Canada
Lawton Chiles Elementary School officials seeks prayers for 'precious student'
The boy was a student at Lawton Chiles Elementary School and the school district released the following statement to USA TODAY Wednesday:
“We are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic death of one of our precious students who was involved in a bus accident late (yesterday) afternoon," the statement from Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez read. "Please know that OCPS is fully cooperating with the ongoing Florida Highway Patrol investigation but we ask that you keep the entire Lawton Chiles Elementary School community in your prayers as they grieve the loss of one of their own.”
Crescenzi said she believed the bus driver had been with the school district for more than a decade. He remained on scene and was cooperating with the investigation, she said.
Boy identified as cancer survivor, sports fan
According to local outlet WESH, the boy was identified by relatives as Elyas Amyr Marshall-Rodriguez.
“He was a very bubbly person. He was very compassionate,” his cousin, Trenae Gayle told WESH. “He loved being around people.”
Gayle said the boy had dreams of playing professional sports one day. His ability to play sports was already a feat, as she said he was a cancer survivor.
“He was in remission,” Gayle told WESH. “He just got his port taken out last year. Actually, he was diagnosed with leukemia, cancer, when he was two years old. He went through the Make-A-Wish Foundation because of how severe it was. So he had already been through a lot in his life.”
WESH reported that his family held a vigil Wednesday night, where family and friends grieved together.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 9-year-old hit by school bus after crawling under dies in Orlando
