Borger, Texas: Gateway Elementary Student Killed in Accident at School Drop Off

The Gateway Elementary second grader was killed by a vehicle after her coat got stuck in the car door at morning drop off.
Published: January 28, 2025

BORGER, Texas — A second grader was tragically killed in an accident in the school drop-off line at Gateway Elementary School.

Borger Police say eight-year-old Serenity Campos was getting out of a vehicle in the car drop-off area around 8 a.m. Friday morning when her coat got stuck in the door without the driver’s knowledge, The Independent reports. The driver then pulled away, causing the girl to fall and be struck by the vehicle.

“Despite the presence of a senior school administrator who immediately attempted to intervene, the incident happened so quickly that it could not be stopped,” Borger Police wrote said in a statement Friday. “School officials and first responders attempted life-saving measures. Borger EMS transported the child to Golden Plains Community Hospital, where those measures continued. Unfortunately, the child succumbed to the injuries.”

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Assistant city manager and public information officer Brandon Strope told PEOPLE in a statement that local authorities are considering the incident a “tragic accident” and that police “do not have any reason to believe that criminal charges will be filed.”

Two hours after the incident, guardians were advised to pick up their children at the school in a designated area away from the accident scene. Buses were also running for students who ride the bus.

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Borger, Nearby Communities Come Together to Honor Gateway Elementary Student

The Borger Independent School District informed the community around 3:30 p.m. Friday that counseling services would be available later that day at the Crockett Elementary School for “any community member in need of support or guidance.” Counselors were also made available at Gateway Elementary on Monday, and nearby Lubbock Independent School District sent a therapy dog team with additional counselors.

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Community members from Borger and other nearby Texas Panhandle communities came together to honor Campos, setting up a memorial outside the school with flowers, balloons, and stuffed animals, according to KFDA. A memorial service was held Monday at a local church, and Borger ISD students and employees wore pink Monday to remember Campos.

A GoFundMe account set up for the victim’s family raised over $78,000 by Tuesday morning. Campos has three other siblings, according to the page.

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