Student, 13, dies on school bus after sticking head out window, colliding with pole
Secretary of state for education in Rio de Janeiro implemented 2-day mourning period over girl's death
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Classmates of a girl in Brazil watched in horror as she was killed on a bus in front of them while she was waving goodbye, according to a report.
Fernanda Pacheco Ferraz, 13, was killed in Nova Friburgo, near Rio de Janeiro, last week after she boarded a bus while leaving Professor Carlos Cortes State College, where she was a student, and collided with a pole, the Brazilian news outlet G1 reported.
According to witnesses, the girl put her head out of a bus window on the left side of the vehicle so that she could wave to her friends. At the same time, the bus inadvertently swerved into a pole on the same side where the girl was hanging out of the window, killing her.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The driver of the bus said later that the road, Rua Luiz Catarcione, was particularly narrow and that he was forced to turn away from a vehicle on the bus’ right side and struck the pole.
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Fernanda Pacheco Ferraz, 13, was killed last week in Nova Friburgo, near Rio de Janeiro. (Jam Press)
According to Brazilian media, passengers quickly informed the driver, Nova Faol, that the girl was hit, and he immediately stopped the vehicle.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fernanda suffered a severe head injury and was dead before first responders arrived at the scene, G1 reported. Nova Faol alerted authorities and the bus company.
The young victim was a student at Professor Carlos Cortes State College. (Jam Press)
Witnesses on the bus and in the immediate area confirmed the details, per the report.
The Rio de Janeiro State Department of Education released a statement, mourning the student's death.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The Secretary of State for Education deeply regrets the accident that occurred with a student from the State College Professor Carlos Côrtes, in the Catarcione neighborhood, in Nova Friburgo, on Wednesday (Aug 16), during her journey back home," the state office said.
Fernanda suffered a severe head injury and was dead before first responders arrived at the scene, according to local media. (Jam Press)
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It also implemented a two-day mourning period, and classes at the school were suspended Thursday and Friday, Aug 17-18. They resumed on Monday, Aug. 21.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Seeduc sympathizes with the immense pain of the family and has been providing all the assistance to it and the school community," it reads.
The bus company said the driver has more than 13 years of experience.
The Rio de Janeiro State Department of Education issued a statement after the teenager’s death. (Jam Press)
Authorities are investigating the incident. According to the report, the driver and the bus company are cooperating.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fernanda Pacheco Ferraz, a 13-year-old who was killed last week, was laid to rest at the Trilha do Ceu cemetery on Aug. 17. (Jam Press)
The tragedy happened in Nova Friburgo, near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Buda Mendes / Getty Images / File)
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The teen was laid to rest at the Trilha do Ceu cemetery on Thursday.
It was not immediately clear if anyone will be charged in connection with the death.