The TTC has offered to pay for the funeral of a 14-year-old girl who was struck and killed by a transit bus in Scarborough last week.
Amaria Diljohn, 14, was crossing Neilson Road at Finch Avenue around 5:40 p.m. on Dec. 19 when she was struck and killed by a TTC bus.
Police said the driver did not remain at the scene. It is not known if he noticed that the girl had been hit. The bus driver was interviewed on Saturday. Police have not yet said whether charges will be laid.
TTC CEO Andy Byford has now authorized up to $20,000 to cover expenses for the funeral, the TTC confirmed Wednesday.
In an interview with the Globe and Mail, Byford said he made the offer because it was “the right thing to do” for a single mother who lost her only child just before Christmas and couldn’t afford the funeral.
He said the offer is not an admission of guilt on the part of the TTC but added there is little doubt that at a TTC bus struck the girl.
On Sunday, dozens of people gathered near the spot where Diljohn died to hold a vigil in her honour. Friends and family described her as a friendly, outgoing girl who loved pop music and always had a smile on her face.
The TTC said Monday that it will be conducting a comprehensive review of operator training programs following the girl’s death.
