Two young girls have died after a school bus collided with a refuse truck and a car in Carroll County, Tennessee, on Friday. The victims have been named as Zoe Davis and Arianna Pearson, both pupils at Kenwood Middle School.
The bus was returning from a school trip with more than 20 students and four teachers on board when the crash occurred. Many of the children and the teachers sustained severe injuries. Patricia Shipley, a family friend of Zoe Davis, said: 'We received the devastating news that our wonderful girl Zoe was one of the children killed. My friends are completely lost and heartbroken.'
Carri Barnes, a friend of Arianna's family, wrote on a GoFundMe page that the girl's parents are 'facing the unimaginable loss of their beautiful daughter'. She added: 'Arianna was a bright light in their lives, and her absence is deeply felt by everyone who knew her.'
The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) said in a statement: 'Our hearts are shattered at the tragic loss of two young lives. We continue to pray for the students and employees injured and everyone who was affected by today's accident.' The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the crash, describing it as a 'lengthy process'.
Two GoFundMe pages have been set up to support the families of Arianna Pearson and Zoe Davis. The community has been urged to rally around the grieving families and the injured survivors.
