Prince George’s police are taking up the investigation, authorities mentioned.
Deputy Chief Alan Doubleday of the county hearth division mentioned an emergency crew responded to the scene round 8 a.m. and rushed the 2 kids to a hospital in “very crucial” situation.
Doubleday mentioned he didn’t know their exact ages however mentioned they have been about 8 years outdated. The motive force of the car that struck them remained on the scene after the crash, Doubleday mentioned.
In a be aware to the Riverdale Elementary Faculty neighborhood, Assistant Principal Melissa Moore wrote that the crash had occurred in entrance of the college throughout morning arrival time, however she provided no further particulars. Moore didn’t point out if the victims have been college students on the faculty.
Moore wrote that folks may choose up their kids early Monday in the event that they wished to, an a stream of fogeys stood in line outdoors the college Monday afternoon to try this. They gripped their kids’s arms and walked them out previous the college’s black gates subsequent to the playground.
“It’s heartbreaking, horrible,” Joslin Evans mentioned as she escorted her preschooler, wearing a dinosaur jacket.
Evans mentioned she dropped two of her kids on the faculty, together with a fifth-grader, shortly after the crash. She noticed the yellow police tape the place the crash had occurred however didn’t know what had occurred. She was again round 1 p.m. to retrieve her kids.
Evans mentioned she has seen crossing guards within the afternoons, however within the mornings she has not seen them on the intersection the place the youngsters have been struck. Authorities haven’t mentioned whether or not there have been any on responsibility this morning.
One other mum or dad, Candice Hebron, dropped off her third-grader at Riverdale Elementary round 7:40 a.m. after which headed to drop off his siblings at one other faculty.
When she headed residence within the route of Riverdale Elementary round 8:10 a.m., she noticed yellow tape blocking the intersection of Riverdale and Taylor roads. She checked her electronic mail and reached out to her son’s trainer instantly to verify he was secure.
If there isn’t a crossing guard on the intersection, Hebron mentioned, she has seen law enforcement officials strolling college students throughout the road. Hebron mentioned drivers ought to listen and be ready to attend at the very least 10 to fifteen minutes Monday when touring by means of that space.
“I hope drivers take their time and notice there’s going to be site visitors,” Hebron mentioned. “Be affected person.”
Maryland state Del Ashanti Martinez (D-Prince George’s) mentioned in a message on X that he was vastly saddened by the tragedy.
“We severely must get management of roadways and create safer streets,” Martinez wrote. “Strolling [in] our neighborhood shouldn’t probably finish your life. It doesn’t should be this manner.”
The fatalities come the identical day six youngsters in Fairfax County suffered life-threatening accidents when a driver misplaced management of an SUV and it struck a tree round 5 a.m., police mentioned. Investigators have decided velocity and alcohol performed a task within the Merrifield, Va. crash, and mentioned the teenage driver has been charged with allegedly driving underneath the affect.
This can be a creating story and will likely be up to date.