A six-year-old New Orleans boy, Mayson Richards, was tragically killed by a school bus just one block away from his home. Reportedly. Mayson was exiting her mother's car to board the school bus that eventually struck him.
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According to a New Orleans Police Department news release, obtained by PEOPLE, the incident took place on Thursday, April 10, around 8 a.m. Mayson had just exited his mother's car on Desire Street in New Orleans and was rushing to board a school bus. However, the school bus struck him, with the river stopping a few blocks further down the street. Mayson Richards was only one block away from his home.
As per WVUE, while the bus stopped down the street, a witness saw Mayson's mother pick him up and carry him to her car, ready to rush him to a hospital. Neighbors present at the scene performed CPR until an ambulance took him to the hospital. He was sadly pronounced dead.
Reportedly, the school bus driver remained at the scene. New Orleans Police Department has not filed charges against the driver as they did not show signs of impairment. This was confirmed by a field sobriety test.
One friend of the Richards family, Pastor Fredrick Sweetwyne, rushed to the scene and talked about it with WVUE.
"Having a six-year-old die in the street is very horrific. Our prayers are with this family and we pray God's blessings upon him," Sweetwyne said. Referring to Mayson's mother, he said, "I deal with crisis and I immediately came over to give her counsel. She's hysterical at this moment. I had an opportunity to speak with her and I can't imagine what she's going through with this trauma."
Mourning
Many expressed their heartbreak over the news of Mayson's passing. Dr. Fateam Fulmore, Superintendent-elect of NOLA Public Schools, issued a statement addressing the tragic incident.
"I am devastated to learn of the tragic loss of Mason Richards, one of our young students at KIPP Leadership," Fulmore said. "Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and classmates impacted by this heartbreaking incident."
Similarly, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell addressed Mayson's death in a statement.
"Mason was a beloved student at KIPP Leadership and deeply cherished by his family, friends, and community," Cantrell said. "As a mother, I cannot begin to imagine the pain Mason's family is experiencing. Our hearts are with them during this unimaginable time."
As per 4WWL, Mayson's family, specifically his great-aunt, Bayinnah Simms, want answers to how the school bus driver didn't see Mayson. "We're gonna need them because at some point we're gonna have to tell his mom something," Simms said. The family is pushing for local authorities to investigate the incident thoroughly.
Simms set up a GoFundMe to raise funds for his funeral expenses.
