A great tragedy has struck a small Indiana community this morning. On a rural road in the small town of Rochester, three siblings—a nine-year-old girl and her twin six-year-old brothers—were hit and killed by a truck while boarding a school bus. A fourth child, not related, was injured and taken to a hospital in nearby Ft. Wayne.
ABC News reports that “the yellow school bus was in the northbound lane of State Road 25 with its emergency lights flashing and its and its stop-sign arm out,” when the children were struck by an oncoming Toyota Tacoma. ABC News also said that the driver of the truck was a 24-year-old female who was cooperating with police.
The four children involved in the accident attended the Tippecanoe Valley School District, which released the following statement:
Our school corporation has suffered a tragedy this morning. We have learned of three student fatalities and one student seriously injured and airlifted to a Fort Wayne hospital as they were hit by a vehicle while boarding their bus.
We have deployed all school counselors to meet the emotional needs of our staff, students and parents.
