Mom Accidentally Runs 12-Year-Old Daughter Over During First Day School Drop-Off: 'A Tragedy'

A 12-year-old girl from Florida is in critical condition after she was accidentally run over by her mom during her first day back at school.

On Monday, Aug. 12 at 7:45 a.m. local time, the driver headed to Booker Middle School in Sarasota to drop the 12-year-old off, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) confirmed in a press release obtained by PEOPLE.

The release stated the driver was a 30-year-old female, and that the 12-year-old had been critically injured in the accident.

The FHP confirmed that the student had dropped some markers and pens and bent down to pick them up from under the vehicle. Tragically, however, she did not realize what her daughter was doing and began to drive off, running her over.

“She immediately stopped when she heard her child screaming," FHP Trooper Kenn Watson said, per WFTS-TV.

The student was airlifted to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg with critical injuries, the FHP's release stated. The incident took place in the right turn lane on Myrtle Street west of Newtown Boulevard.

A Sarasota County Schools spokesperson confirmed the accident to PEOPLE, stating, "A parent accidentally hit their child as the parent was dropping the child off on the street."

"The school district encourages all families to follow district & school safety protocols and use the designated student pickup and drop off areas on school campuses," they added.

Watson said, per the outlet and Fox 13, “Here we are, day one, and we’ve already had a tragedy."

"We’re hoping this does not happen again, but we have to remember to have that good spatial awareness when you are anywhere around a school zone and most certainly when you are letting your kid out of your vehicle," Watson added.

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“You want to avoid being in a hurry and dropping off our kids in the turn lane when we should be directly in front of the school," Watson continued, the publication reported. "This is a tragedy that one hundred percent could have been avoided by simply paying a little more attention and not being in a hurry."

Per WFTS-TV, the school's principal LaShawn Frost sent a message to parents confirming the accident.

"This serves as a reminder of the importance of following our established safety procedures," Frost said, according to the outlet. 

"Please remember that students should not be dropped off in the middle of Myrtle Street. This practice poses a significant risk to our students' safety and the safety of others on the road. We kindly ask that all parents and guardians follow the designated drop-off procedures by using the parent loop. This ensures that students enter the school safely and helps us maintain a secure environment for everyone," the principal added.