The woman who is accused of killing three children and injuring another as they boarded their school bus earlier in the week told police that she did not recognize the stopped school bus as she turned around a corner. In a court hearing, authorities detailed the statements of 24-year-old Alyssa Shepherd and other witnesses following the tragic accident.
Shepherd told police that she had just dropped her husband off from work and was driving with three children in her pickup truck. She told the officers that she was unsure how fast she was going but added that she does not usually drive fast. She explained that as she turned the corner she saw the flashing red lights but did not recognize the school bus they were attached to until she struck the group of four children crossing the street.
The driver who was behind her told police that despite it being dark outside the bus was visible and he estimated Shepard's speed to be about 45 miles-per-hour, adding that while he slowed down when he saw the bus, she did not.
The three deceased siblings have been identified as six-year-old twin brothers Xzavier and Mason Ingle and their nine-year-old sister Alivia Stahl. A fourth child, 11-year-old Maverik Lowe, was airlifted to the hospital and is stable condition following multiple surgeries.
Shepherd was charged with three counts of reckless homicide and one misdemeanor count of passing a school bus causing injury.
The school district announced that it is moving the bus stop where the accident occurred to a nearby park and will be evaluating the safety of every bus stop in the district.
Photo: Indiana State Police