BOSTON — Boston 25 News has worked to get answers from the city, Boston Police and Boston Public Schools since late April, after 5-year-old Lens Arthur Joseph was hit and killed by a school bus on Washington Street in Hyde Park.
Boston Public Schools identified the bus driver as Jean Charles. Charles had an expired school bus certification at the time of the crash and resigned on Wednesday ahead of a scheduled termination.
In a statement, a Boston Public Schools spokesperson said:
“The death of a child is a horrible tragedy that no family should have to endure. In the hours immediately after the tragedy, BPS Transportation and Transdev worked with the law enforcement on scene and Transdev immediately placed the driver on leave. Over the past two weeks, BPS Transportation has gathered information on the events of April 28 and begun implementing an ongoing after action review and response. On May 14, Jean Charles resigned from Transdev, prior to his termination hearing. The City and BPS have also been working in the aftermath of this tragic incident to support the family of Lens Joseph and the UP Academy Dorchester school community, and to share accurate information with the public as quickly and thoughtfully as possible. This is an ongoing process and will be further informed by any investigative conclusions released by the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office and the Boston Police Department. We mourn the death of Lens Joseph and grieve with his family at this terrible time.”
The lawyer representing Joseph’s family says this is an unimaginable loss and that amid their grief, they are dedicated to pursuing justice and are committed to making any changes to relevant policies and procedures.
Last week, Boston 25 News met with City Councilor Enrique Pepen to discuss his call to action for safety infrastructure in the Hyde Park neighborhood. After learning of the recent updates in this case he tells Boston 25 News in a statement that reads in part, “it is gravely unfortunate that in this situation this driver did not follow protocols and will live the rest of their life with the consequence on behalf of a young child.”
Mayor Michelle Wu ignored multiple requests for comment on Thursday, but did tell Boston 25 News last week that, “For now it doesn’t look like those kinds of infrastructure improvements would have been the difference in this situation but in general the safety of our streets is on the minds of everyone who lives in our neighborhoods.”
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