Seventh grader killed by passing train, leaving Florida cops with a mystery to solve

A Florida middle school student stepped directly into the path of an oncoming passenger train just minutes after school, and detectives are trying to unravel the confounding scenario that caused his death.

It happened Monday, May 15, a block and a half west of Avon Park Middle School in Avon, the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. Avon is about 75 miles southeast of Tampa.

“Malik K. Pearson, 13, a seventh-grader at Avon Park Middle School, was pronounced deceased at the scene,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Dispatch was alerted to the incident at 3:21 p.m., which is 11 minutes after the bell rang to end the school day. The Amtrak passenger train was headed north at the time. Detectives are trying to determine exactly how the accident happened.”

The teen died at a railroad crossing near the intersection of West Bell Street and South Feagin Avenue, officials said.

Classes at Avon Park Middle School were dismissed at 3:10 p.m. The school has 632 students in grades 6 through 8, according to Greatschools.org.

Investigators did not say if other students witnessed the incident, but the school district arranged for counselors to be “on scene shortly after the incident to provide support,” the sheriff’s office said.

“There are no words that can capture how devastating this is to our community and schools,” Highlands County Sheriff Paul Blackman and Superintendent Brenda Longshore said in a joint statement.

“Our prayers are with Malik’s family and friends and we will make counselors, victim advocates, therapy dogs and any other help available to anyone who has been directly impacted by this tragedy.”

This story was originally published May 16, 2023 at 4:24 AM with the headline "Seventh grader killed by passing train, leaving Florida cops with a mystery to solve."