Child struck, killed by school bus in Hyde Park, police say

Neighbors in the area of 107 Washington St. rushed to help the child.

Nathaniel Thomas said he had pulled up to his home to find a “young lady screaming” in front of his driveway.

“She was with a younger male relative. She said the bus hit him,” Thomas recalled Monday night.

He helped the severely injured child lying on the ground. “I got him on his side, so he could breathe better,” Thomas said.

Boston police, fire, and EMS workers arrived on the scene. The boy was rushed to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, Police Commissioner Michael Cox said.

“This is a tragic investigation of a child being struck,” Cox told reporters at the scene. “We are doing all we can to investigate.”

The child was not immediately identified. His age was also not provided.

The crash occurred on a bright sunny day, the first for Boston Public School students after the April school vacation week.

At about 2:45 p.m., police responded to a report of a pedestrian hit by a school bus, a department spokesperson said.

The crash happened “very close to home,” in the residential area, Cox said.

Other children who were on the bus were not injured but were taken to a hospital as a precaution, Cox said.

“We know of no known injury” to other children, he said.

Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper issued a statement late Monday night, saying, “We are grieving this heartbreaking loss.”

“We extend our deepest condolences to our student’s family, school community and all those affected by this tragedy,” Skipper said. “Our focus remains on supporting them and our school community. Our team is offering support services for any students, staff, and families.”

Jeri Robinson, chair of the School Committee, also offered condolences in a statement.

“Our hearts break for the child’s family and entire school community following this tragic incident,” Robinson said.

Police investigators were on the scene until long after dark. Washington Street and nearby roads were closed to traffic. All were later reopened.

Yellow crime scene tape was stretched around the bus, which was parked on the side of Washington Street. It was towed away at about 6:45 p.m.

Law enforcement officials stressed the investigation will take time.

“We are at the beginning of the investigation, a fairly serious investigation,” Cox said. “It’s a tragedy and it will be ongoing for a little while.”

“Anyone who might have seen this — this is a residential neighborhood — we ask you to contact our homicide unit,” he said.

Suffolk District Attorney Kevin R. Hayden said death investigators from his office also responded to the scene of the “incredibly tragic episode.”

“We always have to follow the facts, where they lead us, and look at every potential aspect,” Hayden said.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean it will rise to the level of criminality, but we just don’t know that yet,” he added.

Hayden said crash investigations are “extraordinarily complex,” involving reconstruction, video tape and GPS evidence, “and obviously what witnesses have seen and heard.”

Hayden also asked the community to think of the child and his family.

“Right now, everyone’s hearts and minds should be with the family affected here.”

Law enforcement did not identify any other vehicles involved in the crash. Still, some residents said vehicles drive fast on the street.

“Cars are always flying up and down on this street,” said Patricia Riley, who said she has lived on the street since 2010.

Staff from the city’s trauma team visited with residents later in the evening to help them cope with the tragedy.

One neighbor said she would see the boy and his sister getting off the bus on most afternoons.

“They get off the bus all the time,” said Dicis Sanchez, 31. “They live on the corner.”

Her husband was one of the first on the scene and described it to her, she said.

“His sister screamed and that’s why a lot of people came running,” Sanchez said.

“I’m speechless,” she added. “I have three kids. It could have been one of my kids.”

Mayor Michelle Wu said the child’s death has left her “completely heartbroken.”

“No parents expect to send their child off to school and have something terrible happen,” she said, speaking to reporters at the scene. “All of us should just hug our kids a little tighter tonight.”

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact police at 1-800-494-TIPS or text the word TIP to CRIME (27463).

Claire Thornton of the Globe staff contributed to this report.

This breaking news story will be updated if more information becomes available.

Sarah Mesdjian can be reached at sarah.mesdjian@globe.com. Follow her on X @sarahs_journal. Rita Chandler can be reached at rita.chandler@globe.com.