7-year-old in coma after being hit while trying to board school bus
7-year-old Aiden (Credit: GoFundMe)
ROME, Ga. - A 7-year-old boy remains in a medically induced coma in Atlanta after a truck struck him Friday morning as he prepared to board a school bus on Chateau Drive in Rome, according to an online fundraiser.
What we know:
Adults near the scene, including two nurses, stabilized the child's neck and administered CPR immediately after the collision near 50 Chateau Drive at 7:09 a.m. Friday, officials said.
The Rome Police Department said a white Ford F-150 hit Aiden as he was entering the roadway. A police officer was traveling in the area at the time of the crash and immediately responded.
Investigators determined that the driver responsible was not impaired and that the roadway was wet from storms that day.
Emergency crews airlifted 7-year-old Aiden to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta within an hour of the incident.
Aiden remains intubated in a medically induced coma, according to the fundraiser organizers.
Doctors diagnosed him with a diffuse axonal injury, a severe ligament tear connecting his skull and neck, a broken pelvis, broken ribs, a fractured clavicle and a fractured wrist.
The Rome Police Department Accident Investigation Team is looking into the crash. Police said the driver remained on scene, was not speeding and is cooperating with investigators.
What they're saying:
Organizers created the online fundraiser to assist Aiden's parents, Jodi and Tray, while they care for him alongside their 13-year-old and 7-month-old children.
"He is a strong little man, and we are all waiting anxiously for him to wake up and return to his energetic self," the fundraiser creator wrote. "So many of you have asked how you can help. We set up this page to give Jodi and Tray one less thing to worry about during this nightmare. Every single financial contribution is deeply appreciated, but above all, prayer is desperately needed."
What you can do:
Community members who wish to support the family's medical expenses and recovery costs can contribute directly through the official fundraiser page.
To see the GoFundMe, click here.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released details regarding whether law enforcement plans to file criminal charges.
Police have not publicly identified the specific school bus route involved in the incident.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a GoFundMe campaign created by organizers supporting the family, who detailed the timeline of the medical response and Aiden's injuries. Additional information came from the Rome Police Department.