‘He was just amazing’: Dead Kentwood student identified after found on bus

COVINGTON, Wash — A letter sent to Kentwood High School parents identified the student who died on a school bus outside of Mattson Middle School on Wednesday morning.

That letter from the principal begins with:

I am writing today with heartbreaking news. One of our students, Oscar Lindsay, died this morning. We are working in partnership with Oscar’s family and will communicate information as it becomes available taking our lead from the family. Kentwood staff and Kent School District Safety Services will also continue to partner with law enforcement as the events of this morning are being investigated.

The high school student seemingly got on the bus to school Wednesday but didn’t get off at his Kentwood stop. He was found unconscious inside the bus sometime after his classmates were dropped off. The student was declared dead in the Mattson Middle School parking lot.

There are still several questions unanswered including how long Lindsay was on that bus and why he wasn’t noticed sooner.

It is required for school bus drivers to thoroughly check the bus after each drop-off and make sure no students are onboard before they leave that school’s parking lot. Somehow Lindsay’s unconscious body went unnoticed for an undetermined amount of time, according to Washington State and federal law.

“I’m trying to wake him up but he’s not responding at all,” the bus driver is heard saying in the radio traffic audio.

The Kentwood bus driver and student were in the Mattson Middle School parking lot when the radio call to bus dispatch was made at 7:10 a.m.

As the driver is communicating with the dispatch operator, it tells the driver to call 911 if the student does not wake up.

Then at 7:11 a.m., this exchange happened on the radio:

DRIVER: he’s not responding at all.

DISPATCH: Call 911 and give your location and tell them what’s happening.

DRIVER: How do I call? Do I just use my cellphone?

The dispatcher then began to send other drivers to Mattson to help. There isn’t a confirmed 911 call mentioned in that radio chatter until 7 minutes after the initial radio call.

DISPATCH: do we know if the student is still breathing? Stay off the radio please we’re in communication with 911.

DISPATCH: They’re working with some staff also to start and move kids in as soon as possible

King County Sheriff’s Office says his death is no longer considered suspicious, and points to a medical event as the cause.

The County Medical Examiner hasn’t released what that cause is.

Now a heavy cloud of grief hangs over Kentwood High School and the corner store where he went daily.

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