Andover grieves for five-year-old killed crossing busy street

ANDOVER, Mass — In Andover, a devastated community trying to come to terms with a horrific fatal pedestrian crash.

On Tuesday, a five-year-old girl on a scooter was struck by a tractor-trailer truck and killed while she was trying to cross a busy intersection with her family.

“I’m just devastated, I’m just devastated,” said longtime Andover school crossing guard Cindy DiStefano.

On Wednesday, she left six red heart balloons at the place where the five-year-old victim was killed in front of her family as they tried to cross the busy intersection.

“I’ve done this for 23 years. And this is our worst nightmare,” said DiStefano.

According to the Massachusetts State Police, the five-year-old child was hit at 5:14 p.m. Tuesday, at the corner of Elm and Main Streets.

State police say the girl was with her family and was riding a scooter

A Freightliner truck was stopped at the red light.

When the truck moved, it struck the child who was on her scooter, in the crosswalk.

Caleb Harty tells me, he was there moments later.

“I saw the truck midway thru the intersection, I think it was a woman just holding a lifeless body, and people running around, saying call 911,” said Harty.

Sysco Boston owns the truck.

According to the federal government, Sysco Boston has a satisfactory safety rating

In the two years before the Andover crash, its drivers, logging five and a half million road miles, have been involved in no fatal crashes, and only two crashes with an injury.

The intersection where the crash happened is wide and constantly busy.

Pedestrians say tell me it can be trouble.

“It can be dangerous at times, especially if you’re not familiar with it,” said Kevin Keller of Andover.

Meanwhile, the memorial at the site continues to grow.

What happened to this child here, is clearly touching many hearts

“It’s bad enough losing a child, but to do it in front of you, I can’t imagine,” said Andover resident Bill Bruner, as he held back his tears.

Authorities have not yet released the name of the little girl who lost her life.

The truck driver stayed on the scene, and there is no word yet if any charges will be filed in this case.

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