A driver who fatally struck a 6-year-old boy crossing a street Monday near his school bus stop in South Georgia will not face charges, police said.
The Cairo Police Department has concluded its investigation and issued a statement Tuesday, saying there was not enough evidence to arrest a 28-year-old woman involved in the accident that killed Jaden Richardson.
Authorities said the Eastside Elementary School first grader arrived late at the bus stop that morning with his sister at Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Legion Boulevard in Cairo.
A police report said the bus stop is in an American Legion parking lot, where there is no crossing guard.
News station WCTV in Cairo said the accident happened when it was still dark outside.
A person there that morning apparently told the siblings they had missed the bus.
That's when Jaden attempted to run back across the street to inform his mother and was hit by the car, police said.
The boy was rushed to Grady General Hospital but died an hour later, reports said.
Witnesses at the scene told police “there was nothing the driver could do,” the Thomasville Times-Enterprise reported.
The driver, who has not been publicly identified, told police she thought she hit a trash can while traveling westbound along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, WCTV reported.
Reports said the driver stopped and got out of the vehicle to investigate when she discovered the boy on the ground.
Interim Police Chief Giovannie Santos gave a statement about the accident Tuesday.
“This was a tragic accident which has caused tremendous sorrow and sense of profound loss, which has been felt amongst all within our community,” he said to local news media. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the child’s parents, sibling and family at this time, as well as the driver, and we ask the community to do the same.”
Grady County School Superintendent Kermit Gilliard said in a statement that grief counselors were at the school for teachers and students.
“We consider all of our students family here in Grady County, and we’re very sad that we’ve lost a member of our family,” he said.
The boy's grandmother told ABC affiliate WTXL 27 in Tallahassee that Jaden’s death was a devastating loss for their family.
“I’m still in disbelief because it’s hard to deal with ... especially when you lose a loved one, you know,” said Natalie Richardson.
She said Jaden was mature for his young age.
“A grown-up in a small body, you know,” Richardson told WTXL. “I could always count on him to come in ... ‘Granny, you’ve got to go to work. It’s time to go to work,’ ” she said.
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