WAYNE, Mich. (WXYZ) — "I put my faith in God. That's all I know," said Brian Escobedo, whose 12-year-old son Jacob was hit and killed by a school bus Tuesday afternoon.
One of Jacob's classmates at Franklin Middle School in the city of Wayne called his mom shortly after it happened.
Joanie Dawson said she rushed to the school and arrived in time to follow the ambulance and police vehicles to the hospital.
"I had to walk out of the hospital and just leave him there. That was hard because I shouldn't leave my children and not come back for them," Dawson said.
Wayne police said the bus driver is cooperating with their investigation and they do not suspect drugs or alcohol were involved.
7 Action News has contacted district officials to find out if the bus driver is on administrative leave, but we have not heard back as of Wednesday evening.
I want to know what happened. I don't want to hear the speculations. I want to know the facts," Jacob's dad said. "And I just hope people can come forward to help on that end."
Investigators are asking that anyone who witnessed the tragic incident outside Franklin Middle School on Annapolis Street Tuesday around 2:50 p.m. to contact Lt. Robert Amore at ramore@cityofwayne.com or Sgt. Jordan Arndt at jarndt@cityofwayne.com, using reference case #23002995.
Loved ones say Jacob liked to draw, play video games with his dad and hang out with his family.
"He's just a good kid. He was really trying," his mom said.
A family friend has set up an online fundraiser to help Jacob's parents with funeral costs.
"He was so excited about different things. We played "Dungeons and Dragons" together. We had a lot of stuff in common that we really shared on," his dad said. "He looks like my mini-me. He looks just like me — It's like I lost myself."
