Ohio dad tells Trump to stop using son’s death for ‘political gain’
An Ohio father has called on Donald Trump to stop exploiting his son’s death in a school bus crash, which was caused by a Haitian immigrant, for political purposes.
Eleven-year-old Aiden Clark died in a school bus accident in August 2023 in Springfield, Ohio. The town has recently become a focal point due to unfounded claims made by the Trump campaign about Haitian immigrants there.
On Tuesday, Trump’s running mate JD Vance mentioned Aiden in a Twitter/X post, stating that “a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant.”
Later that day, Aiden’s father, Nathan Clark, addressed the city commission, expressing his pain: “They have used my son’s name and his death for political gain. This has to stop immediately.”
“My son was not murdered. He was accidentally killed by an immigrant from Haiti,” Nathan added. “This tragedy has impacted our community, state, and even the nation. But please, do not turn this into a source of hatred.”
Trump and Vance have also spread unfounded rumors about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, including claims about them eating pets. Just hours after Nathan’s comments, Trump reiterated these baseless accusations during a presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
Nathan Clark, with his wife Danielle by his side, remarked at the meeting, “I wish my son, Aiden Clark, had been killed by a 60-year-old white man. You might never have expected someone to be so blunt, but if that were the case, the relentless hate from some people might cease.”
Aiden was killed when Hermanio Joseph, a Haitian immigrant driving without a license, crossed the center line and collided with his school bus.
The boy was thrown from the bus as it flipped, and several children were also injured.
Joseph was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and felony vehicular homicide in May, and sentenced to nine to 13-and-a-half years in prison.
On Monday, Trump’s campaign X account posted side-by-side photos of Aiden and Joseph, and attacked Vice-President Kamala Harris’ immigration policies before the presidential debate.
“REMEMBER: 11-year-old Aiden Clark was killed on his way to school by a Haitian migrant that Kamala Harris let into the country in Springfield, Ohio,” the caption read. It claimed Harris had “refused to say Aiden’s name”.
Vance followed the next day with his post.
“They can vomit all the hate they want about illegal immigrants, the border crisis, and even untrue claims about fluffy pets being ravaged and eaten by community members,” Mr Clark said on Tuesday.
“However, they are not allowed, nor have they ever been allowed to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio.”
Mr Clark said his family were now having the “worst day of our lives violently and constantly shoved in our faces”.
The Trump campaign did not respond to BBC requests for comment. It told the Washington Post that it hoped “the media will continue to cover the stories of the very real suffering and tragedies experienced by the people of Springfield, Ohio, many which haven’t been given nearly the level of attention they deserve until now”.
