There was no second vehicle involved in Monday’s Carroll County school bus accident that left two pre school children dead and seven others injured, say the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department.
The accident, which involved a bus carrying nine pre school children from a Head Start school preparatory program as well as two adults, veered off the road and hit a tree on Barnes Road near Carrollton on Monday afternoon. Two 3 year old children from Sanders, Kentucky, were declared dead at the scene. The children’s names have now been released as Ryder Deitz and Caroline Tuttle.
A further seven children, all under the age of five, as well as a bus driver and an adult attendant, were injured and transported to local hospitals in Louisville and Lexington.
Following the accident on Monday, the sheriff’s department reported that a second vehicle may have been involved, but revealed no further vehicles. When the Kentucky State Police Department arrived on the scene, however, there was no second vehicle present. However Brad Aterburn, spokesperson for the Kentucky State Police, said the incident was still under investigation and he was not able to confirm or deny the involvement of another vehicle.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s department confirmed that the school bus was the only vehicle involved in the accident.
State police are currently working with the sheriff’s department to recreate the accident scene, said Aterburn. The final results of the investigation may take weeks to be released.
Six of the accident victims, all between the ages of 3 and 5, were transported to Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville on Monday night where they have been receiving treatment for their injuries. Four children have since been discharged from hospital. One child, a 3 year old boy, has been moved from the pediatric intensive care unit to a high care ward and his condition is continuing to improve, says Kosair Children’s Hospital spokesman Steve Menaugh.
A four year old girl who is currently in a stable condition remains in the pediatric intensive care unit, said Menaugh.
An adult bus attendant remains in a serious condition at the University of Kentucky Medical Centre, said University of Kentucky spokesperson Jay Blanton.
A visitation for Caroline Tuttle will be held on Thursday from 5 to 9pm at the Family Worship Centre in Carrollton. A memorial service will be held at the worship centre on Friday at 2pm. A visitation for Ryder Deitz will be held on Friday evening at the Family Worship Centre, with his funeral on Sunday at 11am.