‘We are hurting.’ Kentucky community mourns death of 15-year-old hit by school bus.
The Clark County community continued to grieve Wednesday after a 15-year-old girl was hit and killed by a school bus one day earlier.
The girl, McKenna Letcher, was a freshman at George Rogers. She was hit Tuesday morning while trying to cross Veterans Memorial Parkway, near Ironworks Road, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Students were on the bus at the time of the crash.
Clark County Schools Superintendent Dustin Howard held a press conference Wednesday morning to discuss the incident, but he said he couldn’t share specifics about the crash.
“We are hurting. We are heartbroken,” Howard said. “We are managing the loss of a 15-year-old girl, trying to support her family, trying to support our staff, our students, the entirety of our community.”
The school system has worked to support McKenna’s family, plus classmates and staffers in Clark County affected by the crash, Howard said.
The superintendent also thanked the community and school districts statewide for providing support. He said Kentucky Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher visited the high school on Tuesday.
“We have to be a light in this time of darkness,” Howard said. “Although one light, one candle, doesn’t burn very bright, we need everyone to support the family, our school system, our students and our community.”
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, Howard said. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash and has not responded to a request for comment.
Lawyer Jon Hollan, with Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers, has been hired by the family.
“It is my intention to respect the formal investigative process of involved law enforcement as it continues to unfold while also working diligently with our own team of investigators and experts who are in the field seeking evidence as to the tragic events of yesterday morning,” Hollan said in a news release. “We welcome anyone with additional information to contact our office directly.”
Letcher was described in the news release as a caring, joyful and creative child who dreamed of being a mechanic. Letcher’s mother and family thanked the community for their support and positivity.
‘She was just a real loved, positive person’
Letcher was a member of Catalyst Church in Winchester, according to her obituary. She was also a Girl Scout with troop No. 2619.
Steve Caudill, lead pastor at the church, said in an interview Wednesday Letcher was a joy to be around.
“She’s a hugger, and she loved people. She loved life,” Caudill said. “She was just a real loved, positive person to be around.”
Letcher was baptized in November 2021, Caudill said, and has been a member at the church since then.
Caudill said the church community is grieving Letcher’s death, but is appreciative of the support that has been offered.
“The family really appreciates (the support) and had no idea of the love that would be reached out to the family the way it has been,” Caudill said. “It has been very well received.”
A GoFundMe has been created to collect money for Letcher’s family. As of Wednesday afternoon it had raised more than $10,000.
This story was originally published September 4, 2024 at 2:25 PM.
