Boy and mother from Mamaroneck in Westchester County hit and killed by school bus identified

MAMARONECK, Westchester (WABC) – A kindergarten student and his mother were identified Friday after they were both struck by a school bus on their way to school Thursday morning.

It happened around 8:30 a.m. in front of the Mamaroneck Avenue School on Mamaroneck Avenue near New Street. On Friday, people continued to leave flowers and toys near the crosswalk.

Six-year-old Michael Donovan was pronounced dead at the scene and his mother, 43-year-old Molly Murphy Donovan, was taken to the hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

Witnesses described the mother screaming at the bus and demanding that it stop.

“The saddest thing was seeing his lunchbox, his school bag open, all his pencils and the fact that the boy just wanted to spend a day at school,” said witness Nick Zamora. “And it was his last day.”

According to police, initial investigations revealed that the school bus was traveling east on New Street and turned left onto Mamaroneck Avenue when the light was green.

As the bus turned, several parents with children crossed the street at the zebra crossing with pedestrian crossing signal.

The driver, a 68-year-old man, is cooperating and police say it appears to be a tragic accident. No charges have been filed yet.

It is still unclear why the bus driver did not give way to pedestrians. However, parents report that they have been asking for a school crossing guard to come by for years.

“There is no excuse,” added Mamaroneck resident Lori Lyons. “There is no excuse that no one in the village of Mamaroneck has been there for years to let something like this happen. This should never have happened today.”

The bus was en route to Mamaroneck Avenue School at the time of the accident. Several students and an aide were on board the bus, but no other injuries were reported.

Psychological professionals will be supporting parents and children at the school on Friday and a police officer will be on site closely monitoring the intersection.

The community has started a petition on Change.org calling for the establishment of a school crossing guard, better visibility of zebra crossings and a reduction in speed limits.

Police said they are working with the Town of Mamaroneck and Westchester County to find ways to improve pedestrian and traffic safety at the intersection.

Relatives say Molly’s birthday was this Sunday.

———-

* More news from the northern suburbs

* Send us a news tip

* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news

* Follow us on Youtube

Send a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Have a breaking news tip or story idea we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. When attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.