6-Year-Old Killed By School Bus

CONROE, TX -- The community of Conroe is mourning the tragic loss of 6-year-old Sophia Isabella Irehata. Sophia was killed after she was hit by a school bus on Tuesday morning.

According to Sophia's family, her father, older brother, and baby sister were waiting for the bus at the end of their drive.

After realizing the bus was running late Sophia's father then decided to drive the kids to school. 

The family walked back to their car and dad entered the home, while Sophia and her brother waited for him outside.

“The bus was late is what the dad told me. The bus was late and he said, ‘You know what, I’m going to take you to school instead.' So he had the baby with him, the 1-year-old, and took her in the house and Sophia was out here and her older brother went in the truck and in a blink of an eye ...,” said Sophia’s step-grandmother, Candelaria Zabala.

It appears Sophia spotted the bus and ran towards it. The bus driver failed to see her run out in front of the bus and unfortunately ran her over.

"My mom actually heard the scream," said neighbor Melanie Estrada. "After she screamed, I ran after it, and I saw her, and she was bleeding from her head and her mouth."

According to witnesses at the scene, Sophia was breathing but unconscious. After medics arrived at the scene Sophia was transported to Texas Children’s Hospital in The Woodlands. She ultimately succumbed to her injuries less than an hour after the accident.

“She was a very outgoing full of energy, full of joy, full of everything and loving,” said Zabala.

By Tuesday night a memorial had been set up at the bus stop. Family and friends gathered with pink and purple balloons to remember Sophia.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help Sophia's family as they deal with a tragic loss. To donate click on the following link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/gxg8n-sophia.

The Conroe Police Department released a statement that said in part, "It appears that the child lives near the bus stop and ran in front of the school bus as it was departing from the pick-up location. The Conroe Police Department sends prayers to the family, witnesses, and emergency responders for this tragedy. The crash is still under investigation at the time of this release.”