School Bus Tragedies
Separate School Bus Crashes Leave One Child Dead and Three Injured
Anonymous
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Frankfort police responded just before 3:24 p.m. to the collision in the 500 block of Aberdeen Road, where they found Jenna Menias unresponsive with serious injuries.
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The Frankfort School District 157-C called the death “tragic” and “unimaginable,” saying the community was “devastated by this tragic loss” and mourning alongside Jenna’s family and friends.
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A neighbor, Timothy Buhe, said the crash occurred about 90 feet from his driveway and described the incident as “a tragic event,” underscoring that the girl’s family was well known in the close-knit neighborhood.
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Frankfort police had released no updates as of the reports, while questions remained about what led to the bus striking the girl.
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The Henderson crash was reported at approximately 7:55 a.m., according to Nevada State Police Trooper Shawn Haggstrom.
A 6-year-old girl in Frankfort, Illinois, was struck and killed by a school bus on Tuesday afternoon near her home, while a separate collision between a school bus and a semi-truck injured two children in Henderson, Nevada, on Wednesday morning. NBC Chicago reported that Jenna Menias was hit by the bus around 3:24 p.m. on Aberdeen Road and died at Saint James Hospital despite CPR efforts by witnesses and first responders. The incidents have left both communities reeling, with school officials calling the Frankfort death "unimaginable" and deploying crisis counselors.
The Henderson crash occurred on eastbound Interstate 215 near Gibson Road around 7:55 a.m., according to Nevada State Police. Two children were injured; one was hospitalized with injuries believed to be minor. Authorities in both cases continue investigating how the collisions happened, with questions remaining about driver actions, visibility, and road conditions.
Frankfort Girl Struck Near Her Home After School
Jenna Menias, a 6-year-old Grand Prairie Elementary School student, was hit by a school bus on Aberdeen Road in the 500 block just before 3:24 p.m. on Tuesday. Frankfort Police responded to find the child unresponsive with serious injuries. Witnesses and first responders began CPR immediately. She was rushed to Saint James Hospital in Olympia Fields but was pronounced dead.
The collision happened about 90 feet from neighbor Timothy Buhe's driveway. He called it "a tragic event" and noted that the girl's family was well known in the close-knit neighborhood. Other students on the bus were evaluated and reunited with their families. No additional injuries were reported among passengers.
School District Deploys Mental Health Support
Frankfort School District 157-C called the death "tragic" and "unimaginable." The district released a statement saying: "Everyone in the Frankfort School District 157-C community is devastated by this tragic loss." Schools remained open to provide structured grief support. Social workers, psychologists, and crisis counselors were mobilized across district campuses.
Frankfort Mayor Keith Ogle said the incident followed recent local tragedies, compounding community strain. He stated: "This will be a time to try to make sense of things that don't make sense." Village officials organized a public vigil at Breidert Green Park scheduled for Friday, September 11, to allow residents to gather and mourn together.
Henderson Bus Collides With Semi-Truck
A separate school bus carrying children collided with a semi-truck on eastbound Interstate 215 near Gibson Road in Henderson, Nevada, around 7:55 a.m. on Wednesday. Nevada State Police confirmed the crash. Two children were injured in the impact. One was hospitalized with injuries described as minor, while the other was evaluated at the scene.
The collision created traffic disruption on the freeway during the morning commute. Investigators documented the scene, including skid marks and vehicle positioning, before drawing conclusions about what caused the crash. Nevada State Police Trooper Shawn Haggstrom did not release immediate details about contributing factors or the sequence of events.
Questions Linger Over How Both Collisions Occurred
In the Frankfort case, authorities had not publicly established the sequence of events or contributing factors as of the initial reports. Investigators must determine the child's exact location and movements, the bus's speed and path, visibility and roadway conditions, and whether driver or pedestrian actions played a role. Skid marks at the scene are evidence points being examined.
The Henderson investigation faces similar questions about driver actions, visibility, and the collision's cause. Both cases underscore the risks school buses face on busy roadways. National Safety Council data shows school-bus-related collisions caused 110 deaths nationwide in 2024, making these incidents a serious public safety concern.
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