In a horrific incident which claimed the life of six-year-old Edmond Bock IV, a school bus accident which took place earlier this month has led to a lawsuit. Edmond was walking across the street while his mother, Candice Bock, looked on from the sidewalk and his three-year-old brother waved at him through the window of the family home. Not 10 feet from his house, Edmond walked in front of the school bus while it was parked—allegedly in accordance with regulations set forth by the school district—and the driver began to drive the vehicle forward, causing Edmond to become pinned by the bus, resulting in his immediate death.
The driver continued down the road, in spite of the cries of protest of Candice Bock and her younger son, who saw Edmond get hit by the bus and watched in horror as his body was dragged down the road as the bus continued on, apparently oblivious to the child that had been hit and was still trapped beneath the vehicle. Another driver on the road flagged down the bus, informing the driver that the bloodied body of a boy was caught up under the bus.
The Edmonds have filed a claim, citing negligence on the part of the bus operator, the bus owner, and the school district in causing the wrongful death of their young relative by way of negligence. The family has stated that they feel Edmond’s death was entirely preventable, and that without policy changes the same tragedy might befall someone else in the future.
A police investigation revealed negative results of toxicology tests performed on the driver following the accident, so drugs and alcohol are not believed to have been a factor in the crash. Bus tracking data showed no recklessness or breaking of the speed limit by the bus. Nevertheless, GPS data and toxicology reports cannot show whether the driver was distracted and looking somewhere other than straight ahead when he drove his vehicle over Edmond Bock IV. The Bock family hope that their suit will lead to adjustment of state policies and thus, help to prevent the deaths or injuries of other children in the future.