This afternoon, representatives from the NY State Police confirmed that there were two fatalities – a five year old boy and his mother – as the result of a tragic crime that happened last night on Duanesburg Road in the Town of Duanesburg. The district learned that the five year old victim was a kindergarten student at Duanesburg Elementary School.
Police have not yet released the names of the victims, pending notification of all next of kin, and so the district cannot share further details about the student at this time.
“Our school community is in mourning after learning of the tragic loss of one of our students,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Niedermeier said. “We are devastated by the senseless loss of such a young, vibrant life and extend our deepest condolences to the many people who loved and cared for this little boy.”
“The district’s crisis response team was engaged early this morning and our skilled team of school counselors, social workers and school psychologist were deployed throughout the district, to assist anyone who needed additional support,” Niedermeier added.
“In the coming days and weeks, our focus will be on our students and our staff to make sure they have the resources they need to process today’s difficult news.”
A message from Dr. Niedermeier was sent home this afternoon via ParentSquare, encouraging parents and guardians to talk to their children about today’s news and be aware of any signs of potential distress. A helpful list of grief resources was made available for families looking for advice on how to talk to their children about trauma and death.
“Duanesburg is a small, tight-knit community, which is an attribute that I think will serve us well in the coming weeks as we work together to process this devastating loss,” Niedermeier said.
As the investigation progresses and new information is released, the district will share updates with the community.