Pre-Kindergarten Student Killed by School Bus in Southampton County

According to an article in the January 10, 2009 edition of the Virginian Pilot, four-year-old Jameer Khamarie Woodley was struck and killed by a school bus at Riverdale Elementary School in Southampton County, Virginia (VA) on Friday. The child’s mother is a first-grade teacher at the school. Superintendent Charles Turner called the death “a tragedy for Southampton County Public Schools” and said crisis counselors would be available to students. Turner said “We are investigating. I am trying to get information. Our hearts and thoughts are with the family.” Sgt. Michelle Cotten of the Virginia State Police referred all questions to the Southampton County Sheriff’s Office, which is handling the investigation.

Riverdale Elementary is a new school with about 600 students. The school division sent parents an alert via phone about the death. Laura Galtress was one of several parents who came by to pick up their children before the end of the school day. The stay-at-home mom said she wanted to have her two young boys close to her as soon as she heard the news. Her sons are in third grade and kindergarten. “It hurts really bad. I know that they are very cautious,” Galtress said of the school’s staff. But “it makes you want to bring them to school yourself.”

The Southampton County Sheriff’s Office told Channel 13 news that no charges are pending against the driver of the school bus.