Grieving mom seeks answers from school board after 6-year-old daughter dies on school bus
SOMERSET, New Jersey (WABC) -- A grieving mother demanded accountability from the Franklin Township School Board after her daughter died on a school bus.
"What will be your course of action to ensure that this doesn't happen to any other family?" Najmah Nash said.
A week ago, Nash lost her daughter. Six-year-old Fajr Atiya Williams died on a school bus when the monitor failed to notice that Williams was suffocating when her harness got wrapped around her neck.
"It breaks all of our hearts because we know that could have been our child," said Lauren Sammerson of the Special Education Parents Advisory Council.
The monitor, Amanda Davila, was allegedly looking at her phone with headphones on for crucial 14 minutes.
Davila has been charged with second degree manslaughter.
"I want answers. How are you choosing these transportation providers?" Nash said.
Nash said she wants to know how much training and guidance the employees get, and that the district needs to do its own investigation into the incident.
"She was a beautiful little girl," said Nancy Lacorte, president of the Franklin Township School Board. "I'm so incredibly sorry, and I know that we all are."
At the meeting board members offered support and invited Nash to connect with them when she is ready.
"I'm hopeful," Nash said. "As they said, I will reach out to them directly and see if they are willing to make a change."
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