‘She’s never going to have a normal life again’: 13-year-old hit by school bus while adjusting her backpack

VANDERBURGH CO., Ind. (WFIE/Gray News) - A 13-year-old is in the hospital with serious injuries after she was hit by a school bus while adjusting her backpack.

It happened Tuesday at Grandin Pointe Mobile Home Park in Vanderburgh County, Indiana.

Vanderburgh County Sheriff Noah Robinson said an Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation bus dropped off 13-year-old Kaydence Helfert in the parking lot.

The sheriff said Kaydence bent down to adjust her backpack when another bus pulled in and started to turn around in the parking lot.

The bus hit Kaydence, who was then dragged underneath the bus and the vehicle’s wheels, resulting in “serious, catastrophic injuries.”

Kaydence is a seventh grader at Thompkins Middle School. She was taken to Riley Children’s Hospital and will need several surgeries.

Kaydence’s mother, Angela Kay, said her daughter has a dislocated hip, a severe pelvic fracture and internal injuries.

Kay said her daughter will remain sedated until her next surgeries, which will happen in the next several days.

“Well, I know that she’s never going to have a normal life again. That’s our main concern right now is just getting her back to good health. Whatever normal can be,” Kay said.

Kaydence’s mother and siblings are with her at the hospital, which is three hours from home, according to a GoFundMe created to help the family.

“Our primary concern is the well-being of our student who was involved in yesterday’s accident. She is receiving medical care, and we are keeping her and her family in our thoughts. We have been in contact with the family and ask that their privacy be respected at this time,” said a spokesperson for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation.

Robinson said it’s common for buses to turn around in that parking lot because it’s one of the few areas wide enough for a bus to turn around.

He said the bus driver stayed on the scene and was fully cooperative. Because the crash involved serious bodily injury, the driver submitted to a chemical test. Results are pending but authorities do not believe the driver was impaired.

Robinson said no charges have been filed at this point, but that could change pending the results of the investigation.