SHERIDAN, WYO. – In a letter to the community, Superintendent Craig Dougherty of Sheridan County School District 2, announced Saturday that 6-year-old Esperanza Lagunes-Aarstad has died after a school bus accident last week.
“We were deeply saddened to learn that our student, involved in Monday’s school bus accident,
has passed away. Our district is devastated, and we are doing everything we can to support her
family through this tragedy.
Through communication with the family, the student’s grandparents asked that we share their
sincere gratitude with the school and community for the outpouring of support.
We’ve been communicating with our Woodland Park and Henry A. Coffeen Elementary
families, ensuring they have the opportunity to share this news at home with their children, prior
to us sharing it at school. With the guidance of professionals we will visit with our students, one
classroom at a time, to answer questions and talk about how they’re feeling.
Additional counselors and school psychologists are on hand at Woodland Park, Henry A.
Coffeen, and our Transportation department to spend time with students and staff who need
extra help. Every student and staff member knows that our team will remain available in the
coming weeks to work with anyone who needs support.
This is a very difficult time for their family, as well as for our staff, students and community.
Please keep this grieving family and others impacted by this tragedy in your thoughts and
prayers.”
L.t Travis Koltiska of the Sheridan Police Department told Q2 that Esperanza Lagunes-Aarstad was transferring buses at Henry A. Coffeen Elementary School when the incident occurred April 22.
Koltiska said the bus was leaving the bus loop and Esperanza was trying to get to the bus and somehow went down and was struck.
This is an active investigation.
Police added that her family said she was previously in a coma and on life support at Colorado Children’s Hospital.
