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September 5, 2012

Bulluck School community mourning loss of classmate

Staff Writer MIRANDA BAINES

TARBORO — The Bulluck School community is in mourning after a tragic Thursday morning accident claimed the life of a first-grade student waiting on her school bus.

“It’s a tragedy for the entire community. We’re in shock,” said Edgecombe County School Supt.  John Farrelly,. “A lot of tears have been shed.”

Janell Simmons, 7, was waiting on the bus with three of her siblings outside her home on North Carolina Highway 43, between Nobles Mill Pond Road and Clover Road, when the accident occurred.

According to State Trooper Sgt. D. P. Wainwright, Simmons was struck when she ran out from the southbound shoulder of the highway in front of a pickup driven by Eddie Suggs of Rocky Mount.

Farrelly said his understanding is that Suggs had slowed down when he saw the children waiting on the side of the road and a school bus approaching. The school bus was not the one the Simmons children rode; it was simply a bus passing by on its regular route. Suggs never saw Simmons, who had crossed the road and “jumped out inexplicably,” said Farrelly. Simmons’ body  was thrown 35-40 yards on impact. She was transported to Nash General Hospital, where she died about 7:30 a.m..

“Going to the hospital and seeing the absolute horror in the eyes of the family members and shock and disbelief is heart wrenching,” said Farrelly. “I think it speaks to how precious life is. What’s really pulling at me is to think that three [of the child’s] siblings watched it happen.”

Three of Simmons’ siblings are also students at Bulluck and another at West Edgecombe Middle School.

Farrelly said the school system has sent its crisis team, comprised of counselors, social workers and psychologists, along with several members of central office staff, to Bulluck. The Simmons children’s classmates were told about the tragedy by school staff.

“We’ll certainly be very proactive when the [Simmons] kids come back to school about supporting them in any way that we can,” said Farrelly. He said the staff at Bulluck is “close-knit” and staff members have shown their compassion and leaned on each other during this difficult time. Flags in Edgecombe County were lowered to half-mast in recognition of Simmons’ death.

Bulluck’s principal, Paula Flythe, sent a letter to parents Thursday afternoon.

“A young person's death is always tragic, and a sudden loss like this can have a profound effect on surviving students,” Flythe wrote. “It is important that we recognize this loss and offer support. This is a sensitive issue for children, and we suggest that you talk with your children about their feelings.”

In the wake of Thursday’s tragedy, Farrelly said he wants to re-emphasize to students and parents the importance of children staying out of the road and being supervised while waiting on their school bus to arrive. The Simmons children were waiting at the bus stop approximately an hour prior to their bus’ scheduled 7:39 a.m. arrival. Farrelly said ECPS recommends students arrive at the bus stop 10 to 15 minutes prior to their bus arrival.

 

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