SPRINGFIELD, Ohio, USA (AP) — The father of an Ohio minor who died last year when a Haitian immigrant crashed into a school bus begged Donald Trump and other politicians to stop mentioning his son’s name in the immigration debate.
Nathan Clark spoke on Tuesday at the Springfield City Council hearing, the same day former President and Vice President Kamala Harris debated, and the day that the city of Ohio burst into the national conversation when Trump repeated false claims demonizing Haitian immigrants, stating that they eat pets.
"This must stop now," said Nathan Clark. "You can vomit all the hatred you want towards illegal immigrants, the border crisis, and even make false claims about soft and fluffy pets being snatched and devoured by community members. However, you are not allowed, and have never been allowed, to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio. I will listen to you one more time to hear your apologies."
Aiden Clark, an 11-year-old, died in August of last year when a minivan driven by Hermanio Joseph crashed into a school bus in which the child was traveling with other students. Aiden died and nearly two dozen other people were injured.
In May, a Clark County jury deliberated for only one hour before convicting Joseph of involuntary manslaughter and vehicular homicide. He was sentenced to serve between nine and 13 and a half years in prison. In July, a motion to suspend his sentence pending appeal was denied.
Trump's campaign team and other individuals, including his running mate, JD Vance, have mentioned Aiden's death in online posts. On Monday, Trump's campaign team posted, "REMEMBER: Aiden Clark, 11 years old, was killed on his way to school by a Haitian immigrant that Kamala Harris let into the country in Springfield, Ohio." On Tuesday, Vance posted: "Do you know what has been confirmed? That a child was killed by a Haitian immigrant who had no right to be here."
Clark’s death on Monday was surrounded by a whirlwind of false rumors claiming that Haitian immigrants eat pets, and then on Tuesday, Trump repeated those allegations which, according to local authorities, are not based on evidence.