JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An 8-year-old girl was seriously injured Thursday when she was hit by a car after getting off her school bus in Northwest Jacksonville.
Witnesses told News4Jax that the girl, Miah Gettis, had just gotten off a school bus and was trying to cross Fairfax Avenue near Smart Pope Livingston Elementary School, when the driver of a white car hit her just after 3 p.m. Those witnesses said they don't believe the driver was speeding.
Miah was pinned under the car for several minutes, eventually being freed by Jacksonville firefighters and police officers before she was rushed to UF Health hospital.
Miah suffered broken bones in her skull and brain bleeding, her mother, Jasmine Taylor, told News4Jax. Miah had a successful surgery Thursday and a CAT scan Friday.
Taylor said she is less concerned at this point with how the crash happened than with her daughter's recovery.
“She opened her eyes and was able to see me for the first time last night. I was so excited, I couldn’t really go back to sleep,” Taylor said.
Taylor described Miah, who attends R.V. Daniels Elementary School, as a strong girl.
“She’s very sweet and smart. That’s my baby girl,” Taylor said. “She likes to sing and dance and do all of those kinds of things, and she’s really a mama's girl.”
The school district said because Miah was hit after the school bus drove away, the crash is being investigated by the Sheriff's Office, not school police. A spokesperson said the bus driver followed all safety protocol.
Taylor said Miah is surrounded by many family members who are praying for a quick recovery and are just grateful she’s alive.
Police have not yet released the report that will state the cause of the crash, the driver's name and if any citations were issued.