Jenna Menias, 6, Killed by School Bus in Frankfort: What Her Family Says Happened

Six-year-old Jenna Menias had just started first grade. She loved playing with other children, shared a special bond with her three older siblings, and, according to her mother, ended each night reading the Bible with them before bed.

On September 8, Jenna left school and headed home like thousands of children do every afternoon.

She never made it inside.

Jenna was struck and killed by a school bus on the same Frankfort block where her family lived.

Now, as investigators work to determine exactly how the collision happened, Jenna’s mother is sharing details about her daughter, what she says occurred after Jenna got off the bus, and one detail that raises an important question: according to her mother, the person driving Jenna’s bus that afternoon was not the route’s regular driver.

Police have not publicly confirmed that detail or announced what caused the collision.

A First Grader Coming Home From School

Jenna was a first-grade student at Grand Prairie Elementary School, part of Frankfort School District 157-C.

At approximately 3:24 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, Frankfort police were dispatched to the 500 block of Aberdeen Road in the Prestwick neighborhood for a collision involving a school bus and a juvenile pedestrian.

When officers arrived, they found Jenna unresponsive with serious injuries.

Witnesses and first responders immediately began CPR and other lifesaving efforts before Jenna was transported to a hospital.

She later died from her injuries.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office subsequently identified the child as Jenna Menias.

Jenna’s Mother Says She Had Just Gotten Off the Bus

Police initially released limited information about what happened immediately before Jenna was struck.

Jenna’s mother, Yvette Menias, later provided an important additional account.

According to Yvette, Jenna had just gotten off the school bus near the family’s home when the same bus struck her.

Yvette also said the driver operating the bus that afternoon was not the regular driver assigned to the route.

Those details are important, but so is their source.

At this point, they come from Jenna’s mother. Police have not publicly confirmed the precise sequence of events leading to the collision or explained how the bus came into contact with Jenna.

No charges had been announced in the immediate aftermath of the crash, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Other Children Were Still on the Bus

The bus involved belonged to Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 and was transporting students from Frankfort School District 157-C.

Several children were still aboard the bus when the collision occurred.

Emergency responders evaluated those students at the scene, and they were later reunited with their families. No other children were reported injured.

For those children, what happened that afternoon may have an impact far beyond September 8.

Frankfort School District 157-C has made social workers, psychologists and other mental-health professionals available to students and staff affected by Jenna’s death.

Remembering Jenna

Beyond the investigation and the questions surrounding the bus, Jenna’s family wants people to know who their daughter was.

Yvette described Jenna as smart and as a little girl who loved playing with other children at school.

She also spoke about the relationship Jenna shared with her three older siblings.

“Jenna had a special bond with her three older siblings and she loved God.”

Her mother said Jenna would read the Bible with her siblings every night before going to bed.

Those details provide a picture of Jenna beyond the police reports and headlines: a 6-year-old first grader, the youngest of four siblings, who had gone to school that morning and was returning home when her life ended.

A Neighborhood Witnessed the Aftermath

The collision happened in the residential neighborhood where Jenna’s family lived.

Neighbors described the impact as devastating.

One neighbor told ABC7 that the collision occurred only about 90 feet from his driveway and said residents throughout the neighborhood were deeply affected. Another said his family knew Jenna and her family.

Emergency radio traffic captured some of the chaos unfolding at the scene.

CBS Chicago reported that a dispatcher could hear CPR instructions being given over the telephone along with screaming in the background.

Images from the scene showed school buses, numerous emergency vehicles and a child’s purple backpack lying in the roadway.

The School Community Is Grieving

Frankfort School District 157-C initially informed families that one of its students had been involved in a serious school-bus accident.

After Jenna’s death was confirmed, the district released another statement mourning the loss of one of its Grand Prairie Elementary students.

The district said the entire school community was devastated and that additional support would be available to students and employees struggling with the tragedy.

The district, Lincoln-Way Transportation, Frankfort police and the Will County Sheriff’s Office have been cooperating as authorities investigate the collision.

Questions That Still Need Answers

There is an understandable desire to know exactly how a 6-year-old child could get off a school bus and then, according to her mother, be struck by that same bus moments later.

But there are important questions investigators have not publicly answered.

Authorities have not publicly explained what caused the collision, identified the driver, explained why a different driver may have been operating the route, or announced whether any traffic violation, mechanical issue, visibility problem or other factor contributed to Jenna’s death.

Until investigators release those findings, it would be premature to assign criminal responsibility to the driver or anyone else.

What has been established is devastating enough.

A 6-year-old first grader left school on September 8.

She was almost home.

And she never made it through the door.

For Jenna’s family, the investigation may eventually provide answers about what happened on Aberdeen Road.

But those answers cannot replace the daughter and little sister they lost.

Maria Yazmin Garcia is an independent digital journalist with Cookie’s World. Follow her reporting on TikTok @CookieYazmin.