The coroner’s office has released the identity of a 3-year-old boy who was killed after being hit by a school bus in Cary. His family said he was a “little light of sunshine.”
An autopsy performed Wednesday by Dr. Kristin Escobar with the McHenry County Coroner’s Office showed that Samuel Huddleston, 3, of Cary, died as a result of multiple blunt force injuries.
The Cary Police Department and Cary Fire Protection District responded around 3:39 p.m. Monday to the area of Cherry Street and Hill Street in Cary.
Cary Deputy Police Chief Scott Naydenoff said that officers responded to a 911 call for a crash involving a child and a school bus.
Emergency personnel arrived on the scene and confirmed a young child, identified as Huddleston, had been struck by a school bus, Naydenoff and the coroner’s office said.
Huddleston was pronounced deceased at the scene.
There was one student on the school bus in addition to the driver at the time of the incident.
Neither the student on the bus nor the driver was injured during the collision, Naydenoff said.
The Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT), which consists of members from the Cary, Harvard, Johnsburg, McHenry, Spring Grove, and Woodstock police departments, was activated to assist with the crash investigation.
Naydenoff said Tuesday evening that the boy was riding on a “ride-on toy” in the street when he was hit.
The school bus driver is cooperating with the police investigation. No charges have been filed as the investigation is still pending.
An obituary for Huddleston said that he was “precious” and a “little light of sunshine.”
“He had the biggest smile but also the best grumpy face. With four older brothers and a younger sister, he could run and chase the big boys but take time to snuggle with his sister. Although the youngest brother, he was always helping and watching out for them often keeping them out of trouble,” the obituary said.
“He was an outside kid. Sam loved fishing, camping, and Big Foot hunting in the woods. Playing at the park and taking walks with his favorite neighbors were highlights of his day. His cowboy boots were his prized possession, was a big fan of Davey Crocket, Daniel Boone, and Jim Bowie,” his obituary read.
A memorial visitation is scheduled for Saturday from 12 p.m. until the 4 p.m. funeral service at Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Crystal Lake.
The crash remains under investigation by the Cary Police Department and MCAT.