- Target:
- Ashland City Council
- Region:
- United States of America
[5:36:02 PM] Donna Forquer: A Hatcher Elementary School second-grader who was struck by a car Thursday morning on Belmont Street while waiting for a school bus has died. Raymond Jones, 7, died Friday afternoon in Cabell Huntington Hospital, said Charles Shumaker, a hospital spokesman. Earlier, the boy’s aunt, Crystal Hofmann, said in a telephone interview from the hospital that the youngster’s condition took a turn for the worse overnight.
Doctors informed the family that Raymond’s brain activity had ceased, and the family made the agonizing decision to discontinue life support, she said. Hofmann also said she was in the process of setting up an account at Home Federal Savings & Loan to receive donations for the family. “They’re going to have a lot of things they’re going to need to take care of,” she said. Anyone wishing to donate to the fund should contact Home Federal, Hofmann said. Hofmann also said Hatcher Principal David Greene and other Ashland school officials had joined the family in their vigil at the hospital. “They’ve been really supportive,” she said. The youngster was struck around 7 a.m. in the 1500 block of Belmont Street, near the entrance to Ashland Cemetery, the Ashland Police Department said.
Raymond was attempting to walk across Belmont and was struck by a northbound vehicle driven by Frank Branham of Ashland. APD Maj. Todd Kelley said the boy was waiting for the bus with some other children on the cemetery side of Belmont, where the bus normally picks up students. For some unknown reason, the boy decided to cross over to the opposite side of the street and was hit as he stepped from the southbound to the northbound lane, he said. Raymond was taken initially to King’s Daughters Medical Center then flown to Cabell Huntington. Raymond died 36 hours later from massive brain trauma. I don't want to see any more parents live the nightmare that I have lived. Raymond was my youngest son. This family has been torn apart, this may have been prevented if there were signs to warn drivers of bus stops
There is no reason mothers should have to bury their children, especially at such a young age. 40 years ago, another child was hit and killed in this same spot and nothing was done to prevent it from happening again. http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=51595333&blogId=527249776
These things can be prevented if the city would put in a little time and money. The signs warning drivers of an upcoming school bus stop can be purchased by civilians for $85 to $90 but the city of Ashland cannot buy them to protect their children.
By signing below, you are asking the city of Ashland to put up these signs to protect our children from the dangers of inattentive drivers, and keep our mothers from burying their babies.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Keep the children of Ashland, KY safe! petition to Ashland City Council was written by Donna Forquer and is in the category Roads & Transport at GoPetition.