FRANKFORT, Ky. — A 9-year-old boy was found dead in Kentucky after officials say he was swept away by floodwaters while walking to his school bus stop.
The death of Gabriel Andrews stunned residents in Kentucky’s capital city and sparked questions from some who wondered why the Franklin County school district chose not to cancel in-person classes Friday when strong storms produced flash flooding.
Caitlin Green, a Franklin County parent, was among those baffled by the decision.
“You’re taking the chance on, you know, putting these kids on a bus through this weather, not knowing, you know, if they’re going to run into flooded waters,” she told Lexington TV station WDKY.
Several other school districts in the area canceled classes Friday.
Franklin County schools Superintendent Mark Kopp said the boy’s death was a “horrific tragedy.”
“We are more than a school system, we are a family at Franklin County Schools, and we share this loss together,” the superintendent said.
The school district did not respond to social media comments from parents who raised concerns that classes were held despite flooding in the region.
Frankfort police were alerted around 6:35 a.m. Friday that the boy had been caught in floodwaters. Police started a search-and-rescue mission, and the boy was found dead about two hours later.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, in a social media post, said “my heart breaks for this family.”