Authorities believe the vehicle rolled “approximately 75 yards” down a “slight hill” before striking the child\
A 12-year-old girl was fatally stuck by a car outside of her middle school in Seattle this week while on her way to recess
On Thursday, March 6, at approximately 1 p.m. local time, a 12-year-old student at Washington Middle School was “fatally struck” by the vehicle on a road located “on the side of the school,” Seattle Police Department Patrol Operations Chief Todd Kibbee said during a news conference shared online by local station KOMO.
Based on preliminary information, police believe that the vehicle, which was not occupied at the time, began “rolling backward” down a hill after the driver “failed to place it completely in park.” The car rolled “approximately 75 yards” before striking the child, Kibbee said, adding that police have not shared additional information about the girl for privacy reasons.
When contacted by PEOPLE on Friday, March 7, police confirmed the driver, a 51-year-old woman, was not impaired at the time, but that the investigation is ongoing and it has not yet been determined whether there will be charges.”
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“This is obviously a tragic situation for the community here, for the schools,” Kibbee said at the press conference. “And I just offer our support to Superintendent [Brent] Jones and the rest of the Seattle Public Schools and all their families. If we can do anything for him and them, we will certainly do so.”
On Thursday, Principal Adrian Manriquez sent a letter to families sharing that the sixth grader was struck while walking to recess and that the school community had been dealing with “the tragic loss of one of our students.”
The letter, which the district shared with PEOPLE, noted that Washington Middle School went into a shelter-in-place after its second lunch before dismissing students early due to “heavy police activity.”
Manriquez also shared mental health resources with students and families.
When asked how the crash transpired during Thursday’s news conference, Jones cited the “active investigation” and said the district takes safety protocols when students travel on campus.
“My heart is heavy with sorrow as we face the devastating loss of a Washington Middle School student. I am deeply saddened by this tragedy, and my thoughts and condolences are with the student’s family, friends and the entire Washington community during this incredibly difficult time,” he said in an additional statement, shared with PEOPLE.
“My heart breaks for those who are grieving,” he added. “Please know we are here to support each other and will do everything we can to help heal and comfort those in need.”
