November 20, 2012. Tragedy in Homestead school as a 13-YEAR-OLD girl was shot to death by a fellow student on a school bus in Florida.

These stories make me extremely sad, sick and drained every time I hear of another child lost so early in life.

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Here’s the story:

Miami-Dade Police Charge 15-Year-Old Boy With Manslaughter After Fatal School Bus Shooting. The 13-year-old succumbed to her injuries after being shot on a private school bus by another student, police said.

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Why in the world would a 15-year-old have a handgun in school/on school bus?? Do parents need to step up and check their child’s belongings before sending them off to school – a supposedly SAFE place?

Even more devastating – Lourdes had her 7-year-old sibling on the bus as well, police said.

RECAP:

Full story and link here.

Video here.

Police are ruling the death of 13-year-old Lourdes Guzman-DeJesus from Miami, Florida an accident.

The student found herself on a private school bus when she was fatally shot by a classmate, at around 6:45 a.m., on Tuesday, November 20.

Police have 13-year-old DeJesus’s shooter in custody, and ruled the death accidental.

Jordyn Alexander Howe of Homestead had carried a weapon on the bus and was showing it off to his classmates when the gun discharged, police reports say.

15-year-old Howe was a student at Somerset Academy Silver Palms in Homestead. CBS Miami reports that he will be charged as a juvenile. He was arrested for manslaughter and for carrying a concealed firearm.

The shooting took place as other 8 students found themselves on the bus. The vehicle was traveling to the Homestead area, in southwest Miami-Dade County.

According to Huffington Post, Guzman’s 7-year-old sister was among the other students besides her, when she was shot. Guzman attended Palm Glades Preparatory Academy, and her sister was on her way to Summerville Advantage Academy.

She was flown to Miami Children’s Hospital immediately after the shooting, but passed away in hospital care. Her schoolmates are being questioned by the homicides division at Miami-Dade police, regarding yesterday’s events.

“The children, they’re already shaken up over what they had to witness and on top of that you have to question them. So this is going to take a very slow and tedious process,” MDPD spokesman Det. Alvaro Zabaleta clarifies.

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WHEN WILL THIS STOP? The child who had the gun was apparently showing off to his friends. Did he know it was loaded? Did he shoot directly at Lourdes? How did he GET the gun!!!

Comments welcome.