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NTSB Preliminary Report Finds 5-Year-Old Was Dragged After Arm Caught in Bus Doors in Standish

The findings set the stage for a wider safety review with recommendations expected from federal investigators.

Overview

  • The preliminary report says a 2022 Blue Bird MSAD 6 bus on Route 35 began moving as the child’s arm was pinned in the closing doors near Edna Libby Elementary School.
  • Investigators report the child was dragged about 280 feet, then became dislodged, fell to the roadway and was run over, while the driver and a single student on board were uninjured.
  • A 7-year-old who boarded immediately before the incident was the victim’s half-brother, according to the Cumberland County sheriff.
  • No criminal charges have been announced, and the NTSB continues to assess probable cause with assistance from the county sheriff’s office, Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Transportation.
  • The death came less than a month after a separate Rockland case that killed a 12-year-old, sharpening statewide scrutiny of student transportation safety.