An Ohio father has publicly called on Donald Trump and his campaign to stop using his son's tragic death in a school bus crash for political purposes. Aiden Clark, an 11-year-old boy, was killed in August 2023 when a school bus in Springfield, Ohio collided with a van driven by Hermanio Joseph, a Haitian immigrant.

The incident has gained national attention after Trump’s campaign and his running mate, JD Vance, began referencing Aiden's death in connection with immigration policies. On Tuesday, Vance tweeted that “a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant,” sparking outrage from Aiden’s family.

During a city commission meeting later that day, Aiden's father, Nathan Clark, expressed his frustration and grief over the politicization of his son’s death. “They have spoken my son’s name and used his death for political gain. This needs to stop now,” he said. Nathan clarified that his son’s death was a tragic accident and not murder, and urged political figures to stop fueling hate.

“My son was not murdered. He was accidentally killed by an immigrant from Haiti,” he continued. "This tragedy has been felt all over this community, the state, and even the nation. But don’t spin this towards hate."

Despite Mr. Clark's plea, Trump repeated the false claims during the presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday night, linking immigration policies to Aiden’s death. This was not the first time Trump’s campaign had used the incident. On Monday, a side-by-side image of Aiden and Joseph was posted on the Trump campaign's X (formerly Twitter) account, blaming Harris’ immigration policies for the tragedy. The caption read, “REMEMBER: 11-year-old Aiden Clark was killed on his way to school by a Haitian migrant that Kamala Harris let into the country.”

JD Vance echoed the sentiment, further claiming that Harris had refused to acknowledge Aiden’s death.

In an emotional statement, Nathan Clark spoke of the pain his family is experiencing as they continue to mourn the loss of their son. He also expressed frustration over the misinformation and baseless claims circulating about immigrants in Springfield. "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," he said.

Clark emphasized that no one is allowed to exploit Aiden’s death for political purposes. "However, they are not allowed, nor have they ever been allowed, to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio," he declared.

Clark's plea highlighted how his family has been forced to relive the "worst day of our lives," with their personal tragedy becoming a political talking point in a national debate on immigration.

Hermanio Joseph, the Haitian immigrant involved in the crash, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and felony vehicular homicide. He was sentenced to nine to 13-and-a-half years in prison after the crash, which resulted in Aiden being thrown from the bus as it flipped. Several other children were also injured in the incident.

Following Nathan Clark’s remarks, Trump’s campaign issued a statement expressing condolences but stood by its decision to highlight immigration issues in Springfield. "We are deeply sorry to the Clark family for the loss of their son,” the statement read, adding, "We hope the media will continue to cover the stories of the very real suffering and tragedies experienced by the people of Springfield, Ohio, due to the influx of illegal Haitian immigrants in their community."

The clash over Aiden Clark’s death reflects the broader tensions around immigration policy and how personal tragedies can become politicized in the midst of a heated national debate. As the 2024 presidential campaign continues, the Clark family’s story underscores the human cost behind political rhetoric.