A Texas mother was killed on the first day of school on Monday when she jumped between three children and a backing car in the parking area of an El Paso elementary school, the El Paso Times reported.
An elderly man accidently hit the accelerator instead of the brakes after picking up his grandchildren at Tippin Elementary School, a spokesman for the El Paso Independent School District said, and the woman stepped in the car's path, killing her at the scene.
The Times said three children, age seven, were taken to a local hospital. Police took the driver into custody.
"He inadvertently struck the accelerator, and that's very preliminary as far as our investigation at this time," school district police chief Victor Araiza told KDBC-TV.
The school district said counselors will be at the elementary school for those who witnessed the accident.
"On a day that began with such hope and excitement, it is with tremendous sadness that I confirm the tragic loss of one our parents today," Superintendent Juan Cabrera said in a Twitter post. "This is a day you never anticipate and are never prepared for. In times such as these, we are grateful for our community support and will lean on each other for strength.”
Authorities had not released the names of the victim or the driver as of Tuesday.
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