Investigation continues after school bus hits three-year-old child in Cary

The investigation into the death of a three-year-old boy who was hit by a school bus Monday afternoon is ongoing, officials said, with no charges or citations issued.

The bus driver involved in the crash was placed on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation, according to a joint statement Tuesday from Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 and Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155, which share transportation services.

The crash took place about 3:30 p.m. Monday just north of the intersection of Cherry and Hill streets in a Cary neighborhood, Cary Deputy Police Chief Scott Naydenoff said.

The bus was driving north on Hill Street after having turned off Cherry Street when it hit the child, who was in the street, Naydenoff said. The crash took place about 100 feet north of the turn, he said.

The neighborhood is located just south of Route 14 and includes a loop of streets that do not connect to any other major roads.

The scope of the police’s investigation will be into the traffic crash itself and what caused it, Naydenoff said. The investigation will be managed by the department, with the McHenry County Major Crash Assistance Team assisting.

The bus driver, who neither the police nor district officials identified, cooperated with the investigation Monday at the scene, Naydenoff said. It’s not known at this time if charges will be filed, and if they are filed, it won’t be for several weeks, he said.

“We need to give the crash investigation team time to analyze the data that they collected out at the scene,” Naydenoff said. “Charges wouldn’t come for a while.”

The bus driver also has completed post-crash testing, which is required by state and federal law, according to the districts’ statement.

Counseling support is being offered to the driver and those under the districts’ Transportation Joint Agreement, according to the statement.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident and our thoughts are with the family,” the districts said in the statement. “We are cooperating with local officials investigating the accident.”

While the child was in the street at the time of the crash, the details surrounding the circumstances still are being “pieced together,” Naydenoff said.

The family of the boy declined to comment through a family friend.

At the time of the crash, the bus had just the driver and one student on it, with neither injured, according to a news release Monday from the Cary Police Department.

The child was pronounced dead at the scene after police and emergency personnel from the Cary Fire Protection District arrived.

Attempts to reach the McHenry County Coroner’s Office Tuesday were not successful.