Tears flow in Henry County as driver pleads guilty in Adalyn Pierce's death
Tears flow in Henry County courtroom
Tears were flowing on Thursday in a Henry County courtroom as Kaylee Andre pled guilty to a crash that killed 8-year-old Adalynn Pierce. Andre cried and Pierce's family and friends cried throughout the proceedings. Pierce's death led to the creation of Addy's Law.
HENRY COUNTY, Ga. - The woman who pleaded guilty to causing the death of 8-year-old Adalyn Pierce was sentenced Thursday, as Pierce’s grieving family shared emotional statements in a Henry County courtroom.
Prosecutors charged Kaylee Andre with vehicular homicide and failure to stop for a school bus after she struck and killed Adalyn while the child was crossing the street after getting off her school bus on Feb. 1, 2024.
"Family, I'm extremely sorry. I am. I have prayed every day that I can take it all back," Andre said tearfully during the hearing.
The judge sentenced Andre to 15 years, with eight years to serve.
"Your honor, it has been 476 days. 476 days of unimaginable pain and waking up to a world that no longer holds the light of our sweet Adalyn," a family member said in court.
During the sentencing, the courtroom viewed video from inside the school bus, capturing the moments leading up to the crash. In addition to the footage, 911 calls from Adalyn's mother, who witnessed the incident, were played.
"She's not breathing. Please hurry. Daddy’s okay. Oh my God. Oh my God, please. Please, God," the child’s mother cried out in one of the calls.
Five days ahead of what would have been Adalyn’s 10th birthday, her mother and sisters addressed the court with anguish and a plea for justice.
"We stand before you just five days before what should have been Adalyn's 10th birthday, still yearning for a measure of justice that might allow us to begin to heal."
"Kaylee Andre made a choice to pass that school bus. What Kaylee did … death was preventable if she had just chosen, if she had just chose to stay behind that bus and follow traffic laws," one sister told the court.
"I may be able to understand your guilt and regret of this, but you'll never have to understand the pain and grief of losing your little sister," another added.
Watch sentencing and impact statements by family and friends below
FULL: Kayle Andre sentencing and impact statements
Kayle Andre, charged with killing an 8-year-old Henry County girl when she passed a stopped school bus, has been convicted. The deadly crash led to the creation of Addy's Law. Her family was in court for the sentencing and gave impact statements on the stand.
Andre entered a non-negotiated plea of guilty in court on Thursday.
The backstory:
Officials say the deadly collision happened on Feb. 1, 2024 along Jackson Lake Road in Henry County, at the intersection of a private driveway.
Adalynn Pierce was hit by a Ford Fusion as she tried to board a stopped Henry County School bus, according to the Georgia State Patrol. Troopers reported that the bus had its red flashing lights activated, along with the stop sign displayed on both the front and rear.
Pierce was airlifted to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston with life-threatening injuries. Two days later, officials announced that the girl had died from her injuries.
Adalynn Pierce (Courtesy of the family)
In a Facebook post, Pierce's family said her life mission was to help and pray for others, and she now gets to do so in the most heroic way by saving eight lives with organ donation and helping 75 children with tissue donations.
SEE MORE: Mother forgives driver after 8-year-old girl killed getting on Henry County school bus
What we know:
In court, Andre burst into tears as prosecutors played video of the crash taken from the nearby school bus.
Prosecutors argued that the bus had been stopped for at least 30 seconds and that Andre had claimed she was rushing to get to work and that she couldn't see due to her windshield fogging up from the cold weather.
Kaylee Andre burst into tears and was emotional throughout the court hearing. (FOX 5)
The prosecution also played 911 calls and police body camera footage from the scene.
Dig deeper:
The deadly crash sparked the creation of House Bill 409, also known as Addy’s Law.
Addy's Law requires public schools to plan bus routes that avoid having students cross roads where the speed limit is higher than 40 miles per hour.
Addy's Law is signed, now what?
Georgia's school districts will now have to rethink some bus routes since Gov. Brian Kemp signed Addy's Law.
The law also makes the consequences harsher for drivers who pass a stopped school bus when children are getting on or off.
This action is now considered a serious crime, with a fine of at least $1,000 and the possibility of spending at least 12 months in jail upon conviction. If someone commits this offense more than once, their car's information will be sent to their insurance company.
What's next:
Following her plea and statements from the victim's family, the judge sentenced Andre to 15 years with the first eight to be served in prison for the vehicular homicide charge.
Once she's released, she will be required to attend a risk-reduction class and to complete a victim impact panel.
Andre's ability to operate a motor vehicle in Georgia will be suspended.
The Source: Information for this story was taken from Henry County court records and previous FOX 5 reporting.