Florida Girl Hit By Car On First Day Of School, Now Reported Stable

Senior Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Trooper Kenneth Watson provided an update on Tuesday, August 13. “Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital has advised that the 12-year-old victim has been upgraded to 'Stable' as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time,” Watson said. There were no new updates on the crash report that day.

The incident occurred after the girl’s mother dropped her off in the right turn lane on Myrtle Street. The child had bent down to pick up markers and pens she had dropped. Her mother did not see her as she began to drive away. Upon hearing her daughter’s screams, she immediately stopped the car.

The child was airlifted to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg with critical injuries.

Sarasota County Schools stressed the importance of following safety protocols. A district spokesperson stated, "The school district encourages all families to follow district & school safety protocols and use the designated student pickup and drop off areas on school campuses.”

Booker Middle School principal LaShawn Frost also issued a message to families. “Please remember that students should not be dropped off in the middle of Myrtle Street,” Frost said. “This practice poses a significant risk to our students' safety and the safety of others on the road.” She added, “We kindly ask that all parents and guardians follow the designated drop-off procedures by using the parent loop. This ensures that students enter the school safely and helps us maintain a secure environment for everyone.”

Watson previously commented on the situation, “Here we are, day one, and we’ve already had a tragedy. We’re hoping this does not happen again, but we have to remember to have that good spatial awareness when you are anywhere around a school zone and most certainly when you are letting your kid out of your vehicle."