On a cold Thursday afternoon, just after 3 p.m., 11-year-old Amira Aminova was struck and killed by a turning school bus at the busy intersection of 23rd Avenue and Bath Avenue in the Bath Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn. Police say she was crossing in a marked crosswalk near her home when the 2018 Blue Bird bus hit her while turning right.
Witnesses described the moment as surreal and terribly sad. Surveillance footage released by authorities shows Amira walking, then breaking into a run as the bus entered the intersection. Neighbors later told reporters that traffic in this spot is often heavy with students headed home from school, and many are still trying to process what happened.
Emergency medical crews rushed Amira to Maimonides Medical Center with severe trauma to her head and body. Hospital staff fought to save her, but she was pronounced dead hours later. The loss has left her community in shock. People have since placed candles, flowers, and belongings at a small memorial near the crosswalk where she fell.
Police say the bus driver, 62-year-old Wawa Aurelus of Brooklyn, did not stay at the scene. Officers located him later in another part of Brooklyn and took him into custody. Aurelus now faces charges for failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to exercise due care, according to authorities. He is expected to appear in Brooklyn Criminal Court.
Neighbors recalled seeing Amira just moments before the crash. A worker at a nearby deli said she had stopped in earlier that day, buying chocolate and soda — things she obviously enjoyed. Around her block, adults remembered her as quiet and friendly, the kind of kid who waved hello without hesitation.
The NYPD Highway District Collision Investigation Squad continues its work, reviewing video and interviewing witnesses as part of the broader inquiry. Officials have said it appears the incident was accidental, but there is frustration in the neighborhood about how quickly a turning bus can change a child’s life forever.
For many residents, Amira’s death has stirred deep concern about safety at this corner. Parents are now talking about crossing guards, better signaling, and ways to protect children who walk home each day. In this tight-knit part of Brooklyn, the loss of a young life has become a catalyst for change.
