Tragedy In Kentucky: 9-Year-Old Swept Away By Floodwaters As Storms Kill 21 Across Region

Torrential storms and violent tornadoes wreaked havoc across the Midwest and South over the weekend, killing at least 21 and destroying hundreds of homes and businesses.

Among the victims was nine-year-old Gabriel Andrews, who was swept away by floodwaters while walking to his school bus stop early Friday morning, leaving his family and community reeling while demanding answers from their school district.

The National Weather Service put in place a flash flood warning for 13 counties surrounding and including Franklin County, Kentucky, until 8:30 a.m. that morning, but rather than heeding the NWS’s county-wide advisory and canceling school for the devastated district, the district announced on Facebook at 5 a.m.: “We need to cancel two bus routes this morning.”

As the storms intensified, the district dismissed “rumors” of a shutdown of the schools, despite flooded roadways and up to 12 inches of water reported in some areas.

“All schools are operating normally and there are no lockdowns in the district,” the district posted on Facebook after Andrews’ had been missing for hours.

The reality on the ground was much different, according to Franklin County local Caitlin Green who told CNN affiliate WLKY that “the rain was coming down hard” the day of Andrews’ death, with “flooded roadways” requiring Andrews to hop drains and cross dangerous obstacles to reach their bus stop.

The third-grader’s body was found around 8:47 a.m., approximately half a mile from where he was swept away in the Hickory Hills area while walking to his bus stop, CNN reported.

Superintendent Mark Kopp offered no explanation for holding classes during the flood warning. “We are deeply saddened that this horrific tragedy has claimed the life of one of our students,” Kopp said in a statement.

The tragedy occurred as Kentucky was under a state of emergency, with rivers nearing record levels, the Associated Press reported. Governor Andy Beshear confirmed more than 500 state roads remain closed.

The storm system responsible for Gabriel’s death has caused at least 21 fatalities across multiple states as of Monday.

Ten deaths occurred in Tennessee alone, while others were reported in Arkansas, Missouri, and Georgia.

Among the victims was a 5-year-old boy in Arkansas who died when a tree fell on his family’s home, and a 16-year-old volunteer firefighter in Missouri who perished in a crash while attempting to rescue storm victims, per the Associated Press.

More than 500 state roads remained closed across Kentucky as of Monday morning, with dozens of locations in multiple states expected to reach “major flood stage.”

The Frankfort Police Department and Franklin County Coroner’s Office continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Gabriel’s death.