Torrential storms and violent tornadoes wreaked havoc across the Midwest and South over the weekend, killing at least 21 and destroying hundreds of homes and businesses.
Among the victims was nine-year-old Gabriel Andrews, who was swept away by floodwaters while walking to his school bus stop early Friday morning, leaving his family and community reeling while demanding answers from their school district.
The National Weather Service put in place a flash flood warning for 13 counties surrounding and including Franklin County, Kentucky, until 8:30 a.m. that morning, but rather than heeding the NWS’s county-wide advisory and canceling school for the devastated district, the district announced on Facebook at 5 a.m.: “We need to cancel two bus routes this morning.”
As the storms intensified, the district dismissed “rumors” of a shutdown of the schools, despite flooded roadways and…
