A 9-year-old Verbena student was killed Monday afternoon shortly after being struck by an SUV.

The accident, which happened in front of Big Springs Church on Chilton County Road 59, occurred shortly after 4 p.m.

The victim, whose name has not been released by officials, was a student at Verbena School according to Chilton County Superintendent of Education Keith Moore.

“Losing a child is never easy. This is a tragic event,” Moore said. He added he would be working with principal Larry Raines to coordinate counselors for the students.

“It is something that we have done in the past, and I would expect we would do the same here,” Moore said, roughly two hours after the tragedy.

Raines said counseling will be available to the students during the day Tuesday, and school officials will be working with the students.

“We will have a regular school day and try to keep the children as routine as possible,” Raines added.

Chilton County Coroner Randy Yeargan said he pronounced the child – a girl – dead at the scene after emergency medical authorities attempted life-saving techniques. He said the cause of death was blunt force trauma.

Alabama State Troopers, Chilton County Sheriff’s Department officials, Verbena Fire and Rescue and Angel Ambulance responded to the scene.

Chilton County Sheriff Kevin Davis said the girl had been riding a bicycle. The SUV was reportedly traveling toward the river on 59.

“It’s an awful, tragic accident,” Davis said. “The family of the small girl, along with the family of the driver of the vehicle, as well as everyone in the community need our thoughts and prayers.”