SOUTH JORDAN, Utah -- Across the street from where a growing memorial lies in South Jordan, stood the community behind it on Friday night.
“It breaks your heart. And as I stood here the other day as all that happened, there are just no words for that. You can't describe it,” said parent Ali Sommer.
A crowd gathered near 4000 West and Cedar Wood Lane, the site of a gruesome school bus accident on Wednesday afternoon.Just after 10-year-old Seleny Crosby exited the bus, she was hit by another one driving down the street.
The 10 year old suffered severe head trauma from the impact. She was taken off life support on Friday afternoon.
"The parents are having to deal both with their own grief and care for their other children, as well. If there is something worse, it is having both of those to do,” said Glen Cook, a spokesman for the Crosby family.
On the way to honor Seleny, Tara Haslam was stuck at the same busy intersection where the 10 year old was killed
"My daughter is one year younger than her, and it could have been any of our kids,” said Haslam. “I think definitely something needs to happen, whether it is flashing lights or a 4-way stop."
But police are focusing their attention on the bus driver, rather than the route.
“There were no red lights flashing on the bus to indicate for traffic to stop,” said Officer Samuel Winkler of the South Jordan Police Department.
According to authorities, the driver only put his hazard lights on when Seleny began to cross the road, which they believe could be in violation of district and state policies.
According to state statute, the driver of a school bus should operate alternating flashing red light signals at all times when kids are unloading from a school bus to cross a highway, or if the bus is stopped to load children who must cross a highway.
“This is the time for the community to share their grief and share grief with the family,” said Cook.
On Friday, the community chose to focus not on the accident, but on its victim.
“It could have been any of our kids, and it's heartbreaking,” Haslam said. “You never think you're going to say goodbye to your child.”
A donation fund has been created to assist the Crosby family. Donations can be made to the Seleny Crosby Trust at any U.S. Bank location in Utah.
