SWEETWATER, FLA. (WSVN) - Days before Thanksgiving, a family is grieving the death of their daughter after she was fatally struck by a private school bus in Sweetwater.
The collision happened in the area of Southwest 109 Avenue and Second Street.
Detectives with Miami-Dade Police Department said Sweetwater Police arrived just before 8:30 a.m., Wednesday.
7News obtained a video showing the moments after the accident and a body lying underneath the bus.
The privately owned school bus carrying middle school students was traveling North when it made a right turn onto Third Street and it fatally struck the young woman.
“That school bus made a right turn to travel east and as that bus was passing a collision between the bus and the pedestrian occurred,” said Detective Andre Martin with Miami-Dade Police.
Surveillance video shows the school bus approaching the intersection around 8:21 a.m., just before making the right turn.
There is no stop sign for the northbound traffic.
It’s unclear if the victim was trying to cross the road.
She was taken to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.
The woman was identified as 22-year-old, Anjali Persaud, who recently graduated from Florida International University this summer.
Many students from the FIU community were devasted to hear the news.
“I texted a lot of my friends,” said Roberto Escobar, a FIU graduate. “Some have not responded yet. I’m worried about that.”
7SkyForce, hovered above the scene where the school bus was still parked and the intersection was blocked off by crime scene tape.
“You see the yellow tarp right next to this school bus. It is a private school bus, in the intersection there,” said 7Skyforce reporter Ralph Rayburn.
The bus driver remained on scene and is cooperating with investigators.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
“Our condolences are with this young lady’s family as well as the FIU Panther family. FIU has relayed to us that they will be offering services and counseling to any students on campus who may have known this young lady,” said Martin.
Escobar also recently graduated from FIU is saddened to see one of his peer’s future get cut short.
“She had a future [throws hands up]. She is very young. We only 22-years-old, it’s so sad,” he said.
Wednesday night, 7News spotted a woman, Vanessa Fajardo, starting a small memorial for Persaud by laying flowers on the blood stains on the ground.
“Honestly, could of been me cause I always, like I said, grew up here. I always walk around and I cross the street,” said Vanessa Fajardo, who was seen laying flowers. “I don’t cross the street recklessly, but down here where she crossed the street, that’s how I crossed the street.”
She added, “This could have been my sister. This could have been my friend. It’s just unfortunate.”
Those thoughts are what led Vanessa to cover the blood stains with roses.
“I just hope she is in a better place,” said Fajardo.
At this time there is no word if the driver will face charges.
MDPD said it does appear the driver was following traffic laws.
Miami Dade Traffic Homicide is now the lead agency on this investigation.
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