Boy dies after being hit by SUV at Madison Elementary School

GARDNER, Kansas - For the second time in less than two weeks, the Gardner-Edgerton School District is coping with the loss of a student.

Kade Meyer, a 7-year-old second grader at Madison Elementary School, was hit by a car while crossing Madison Road at the end of the school day. It happened just after 3:30 p.m.

Police said parents were lined up along the curb, waiting to pick up their kids. Kade apparently walked between two parked cars where there was no marked crosswalk.

"We were freaking out. We didn't know what to do or say," said freshman Karigan Kennedy, who walked up shortly after the accident. "I saw him lying in the street. He was bleeding and it was terrifying."

Paramedics rushed Kade to Olathe Medical Center, where he later died.

"It's always difficult when it involves children," said Gardner police spokeswoman Ilena Spalding. "I've seen it too many times. Every time is difficult. I'm a parent, too."

Witnesses said the driver was visibly shaken at the scene. After an investigation, police will determine if she will face any charges, a decision that likely won't come until next week, according to Spalding.

Kade's dad, Mark Meyer, is the assistant principal at Gardner-Edgerton High School.

Last month, he was trying to help students cope with the loss of 16-year-old Andrew Hurd.

Thursday night, Meyer and his family were getting prayers of support from the community.

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