10-year-old boy hit and killed by bus

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - A day care bus struck and killed a 10-year-old boy Thursday night on Buffalo's west side.

Catholic Charities actually helped bring this boy and his family from across the world for a better life, but his life was cut short in an instant as he crossed the street on Thursday.

It happened just as it was getting dark at around 5:30 p.m. The 10-year-old boy and his older brother were crossing the street at Prospect and Rhode Island on the west side.

Buffalo Police Lt. Joseph Pierchala said, "10-year-old boy was crossing Prospect Avenue in a westerly direction when he was struck and killed by a church day care bus that was traveling northbound on Prospect Avenue."

It happened right in front of the boy's house. His relatives could only watch as his body remained covered in the street, as investigators tried to figure out exactly what went wrong.

A relative tells News 4 the boy and his family came to Buffalo just last year through a sponsorship by Catholic Charities. They had come from the small country of Bhutan, which lies between India and China. His family came in search of a better life, but the boy's chance to find something better was cut short when he was struck by a bus at a four-way stop.

Lt. Pierchala said, "It was proceeding through the intersection," and added whether or not the bus stopped for the stop sign remains under investigation. The bus had children on board, but police aren't saying which church day care it belongs to.

"The driver has volunteered to give a blood sample to test for alcohol, but at this time, there's no signs of alcohol involvement or intoxication," Lt. Pierchala told News 4.

There were Catholic Charities representatives on the scene, and a spokesperson says, "This accident is a horrible sad tragedy and our concern and focus now is supporting the family through this difficult time." The boy's name has not been released yet.