At the beginning of every school year, parents fret about their children safely crossing streets. Little attention is typically paid to the parents and teachers who are there to guide the kids across roadways teeming with vehicles at the start and end of school days.
A Missouri teacher who lived southwest of St. Louis was recently struck and killed outside of the elementary school where she worked. Around 3:30 in the afternoon, she was hit by an SUV whose driver had apparently gotten his foot stuck between the accelerator and brake pedals.
The 48-year-old kindergarten teacher was stuck beneath the vehicle when first responders arrived. She was pronounced dead at the scene of the pedestrian accident in Neosho.
“She was more than passionate,” said a colleague. “She would fight tooth and nail when she thought something was right for her kids.”
The victim had worked as a teacher for 25 years, including 19 in the Neosho School District.
The superintendent said the tragic event affected the teachers at the school deeply.
“Teachers not only teach together, they attend church together, spend time with each other’s families and raise their own children together. This loss will be felt just as the loss of a family member.”
According to a news report, police say an 88-year-old man was driving the SUV to pick up his granddaughter at the school. He got his foot stuck between the pedals, which caused his vehicle to lurch forward, strike the teacher and lurch again until it was stopped after hitting another vehicle.
Police had not yet issued citations, but said their investigation is ongoing.
School was canceled for the two days after the accident and counselors were made available to speak to students about what happened.
In many similar cases, families will discuss compensation and legal options with a personal injury and wrongful death attorney.
