Sobs filled a Henry County courtroom Thursday morning as a woman accused of driving through a school bus stop and killing an 8-year-old girl pleaded guilty.
Kaylee Andre entered a non-negotiated plea to the charges of first-degree vehicular homicide and failure to stop for a school bus. The Feb. 1, 2024, crash killed Adalynn “Addy” Pierce, who was struck as she walked to her school bus.
Andre was sentenced to eight years in prison and 15 years of probation by Henry Superior Court Judge Holly Veal.
Addy’s family packed the courtroom, and many tearfully shared victim statements during the emotional hearing.
“My baby will never return,” Ashley Pierce, Addy’s mother, said on the stand. “I chose to forgive Kaylee for her actions that stole Adalynn from me. ... However, my forgiveness does not negate the profound consequences.”
As Andre drove along Jackson Lake Road that morning, she passed the bus’ blinking stop sign without braking, according to the prosecutor. Addy was hit as she crossed the street from her driveway, and she was thrown 50 feet away from the bus onto the grass.
First responders performed CPR, and the girl was flown to a hospital, but she never regained consciousness, according to the prosecutor.
The tragedy prompted new safety legislation signed just months later by Gov. Brian Kemp. House Bill 409, also known as Addy’s Law, requires Georgia schools to plan safer bus routes and increases penalties for drivers who pass a stopped school bus.
The 2024 law directs schools to avoid bus routes with stops that force a child to cross a road where the speed limit is 40 mph or more.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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