A North Mississippi Family Crying Out For Justice

PONTOTOC, Miss. (WCBI)- In October 2016 seven-year-old A’miya Braxton was hit and killed by a car as she was getting off the school bus.

More than two years later, no arrests or charges have been brought against the driver.

“Our civil rights were totally violated,” said Andrea Braxton, A’miya’s mother. “There was no protection for her, there’s no justice for her and it seems like nobody is caring about it.”

Family members said the past two years have been devastating and painful for them knowing the person who’s responsible for the seven-year-old’s death isn’t being held accountable.

“An innocent life was taken and nothing was done about it,” said Bre Jackson, A’miya’s sister.

“It just makes me feel why can’t she have justice like everybody else is getting,” said Braxton.

Braxton was killed just as she was getting off the bus in front of her home in Pontotoc County.

Investigators said the female driver passed the stopped school bus on the shoulder side of Highway 9.

The driver told police she didn’t realize the bus was stopped.

Instead of swerving right into oncoming traffic, investigators said the female driver swerved left into Braxton’s yard, ultimately hitting and killing the seven-year-old.

More than two years later family members are still left with several unanswered questions.

“Why did this happen? What was she doing? Why didn’t you see a big yellow school bus? What had your attention that bad to where you couldn’t see what you were doing,” Jackson asked.

This case has been presented before a grand jury twice.

However, both times a grand jury failed to indict the driver.

“She wasn’t paying attention,” said Katherine Chandler, A’miya’s grandmother. “She wasn’t doing anything that you were supposed to be doing as a driver, how dare they let her off. How dare they let her walk away. It’s not right.”

“A school bus was passed, a child was killed, point blank,” Braxton expressed. “There’s no way around this law, there is no way through this law. We have to follow the law the way the law is written.”

Just a few weeks ago a similar incident happened in Prentiss County.

In that instance, the driver 22-year-old Hunter Newman, was charged, accused of killing 9-year-old Dalen Thomas as he was getting on the school bus.

Braxton said there are a lot of similarities in both cases.

One was getting on the bus and the other was getting off when they were hit by a vehicle.

The family said it understands why an arrest was made in the most recent case, but they’re now left wondering why an arrest was never made in A’miya’s death.

“I just want for the DA’s office to please do what you are supposed to do and get justice for A’miya, and if you refuse to please tell us why,” said Braxton. “We deserve an honest answer on why you are not pursuing this as if she was a normal kid every day going to school. She did nothing wrong. She was in the care of a responsible adult. When she stepped off the bus her life ended and so did ours, so can you please explain to us why you can’t get justice for her. Period. That’s just the question that we want to know.”

Family members say they’re going to continue to fight for justice.

I also want to point out the same District Attorney’s office that presented Braxton’s case will also present this recent case out of Prentiss County.