Tragedy in Hyde Park: 5-Year-Old Lens Arthur Joseph Fatally Struck by School Bus While Returning Home from School

Boston, MA — A heart-wrenching tragedy unfolded in Boston’s Hyde Park neighborhood on Monday afternoon, April 28, 2025, when a 5-year-old boy, Lens Arthur Joseph, was fatally struck by a school bus just steps from his home. The incident has left the local community reeling in grief and calling for answers and improved safety measures.

According to Boston Police Officer Mark Marron, the devastating accident occurred at approximately 2:45 p.m. in the area of 107 Washington Street. Lens had just been let off a school bus and was returning home when, under circumstances still under investigation, he was hit by the very same or another school bus.

First responders, including police, firefighters, and EMS, rushed to the scene within minutes of the 911 call. Despite rapid efforts to save his life, Lens was pronounced dead at the scene, leaving behind a family shattered by an unimaginable loss.

“He was a beautiful, curious little boy,” said a family friend who gathered with neighbors at a growing memorial site Tuesday morning. “Always smiling. He just started kindergarten. This is every parent’s worst nightmare.”

The Boston Public Schools confirmed that the bus involved was contracted through a third-party transportation provider. In a statement released late Monday evening, Superintendent Mary Skipper expressed the district’s profound sorrow and extended condolences to the family.

“We are devastated to learn of the loss of one of our youngest students, Lens Arthur Joseph,” the statement read. “Our hearts are with his family, classmates, and the entire Hyde Park community during this incredibly difficult time. Grief counselors have been dispatched to his school to support students and staff.”

Details surrounding the incident remain under active investigation. It is not yet clear whether Lens was in a blind spot, fell, or attempted to cross the street when he was struck. Witnesses said they heard screams followed by the chaos of emergency responders swarming the street.

The bus driver remained on the scene and is cooperating fully with investigators, according to police. No charges have been filed as of Tuesday, and authorities are reviewing surveillance footage, interviewing witnesses, and examining the bus for any mechanical issues.

City Councilor Brian Worrell, who represents Hyde Park, released a statement expressing condolences and vowed to push for a full investigation and improvements in child pedestrian safety.

“This is a terrible and preventable tragedy,” Worrell said. “We need to ensure our school transportation systems have the highest standards of safety and that our streets are designed with children in mind.”

Neighbors have begun leaving flowers, stuffed animals, and handwritten notes near the site of the accident. A small white cross bearing Lens’s name was placed near the curb late Monday night.

The Joseph family, who moved to the neighborhood just over a year ago, has asked for privacy as they process their grief. However, they released a short statement through a family representative.

“Lens was our light. He brought joy to every corner of our home. We are broken but grateful for the love being shown to us. Please pray for our son.”

A GoFundMe page has been created to support the family with funeral expenses and has already seen an outpouring of donations from across the city.

Community leaders are also organizing a candlelight vigil for Lens on Thursday evening at Ross Playground, just a few blocks from the accident scene.

As Boston mourns the loss of this young life, questions remain — not just about how this tragedy happened, but how to prevent such heartbreak from happening again.

Lens Arthur Joseph is survived by his parents, a younger sister, and extended family members who describe him as playful, loving, and full of dreams that now will never be realized.

Boston Police and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office continue to investigate. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Boston Police Department’s Homicide Unit at (617) 343-4470.