ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — The family of a 15-year-old boy hit by a school bus in north St. Louis County claims the driver intentionally struck him.
Kenneth Rodgers, a ninth-grader in the Hazelwood School District, was seriously injured after the bus ran over him outside Hazelwood Southeast Middle School around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The teen’s mother, Brenda Davis, said he was trying to help his younger brother who wanted to get off the bus after a dispute.
“He was having an issue on the bus with the bus driver,” Davis said of the younger brother. “He called my husband and his older brother for help to be released from the bus. However, the bus driver refused to release my son off the bus.”
Rodgers’ father, Justin Davis, added: “He called me and said, ‘I don’t feel safe.’ He asked the bus driver to turn around. I meet him at the school. I’m trying to get but son off the bus.”
At one point, Rodgers started running after the bus to try to help his younger brother, the family claims. They said the bus driver took off, and that’s when he was struck.
“My brother was chasing the bus because she would not let my brother off, and she hit him,” said Rodgers’ sister, Davionna Mosley.
The whole back tire went over Rodgers’ abdomen. He was taken to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Davis said her son is on a ventilator and suffering from broken ribs, a broken collar bone, a broken arm, and a damaged lung.
The Hazelwood School District released the following statement:
The safety and care of our students are among the top priorities of all district employees. While we cannot comment on a matter currently being investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department or with reference to a specific student, we are not aware of any employee of the Hazelwood School District who would intentionally harm any student. Our thoughts are with the student and his family and we wish him a speedy recovery.
