Just before Tuesday’s ABC News presidential debate, the parents of a child killed in a bus crash involving Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, last year made an emotional plea to former President Donald Trump, running mate J.D. Vance and others to stop using the child’s death as a “political tool.”
“They used my son’s name and used his death for political gain,” Nathan Clark said, testifying at a Springfield City Council hearing. Accompanied by his wife, Danielle, Clark said, “My son was not murdered. He was mistakenly killed by a Haitian immigrant.”
“I wish my son Aiden Clark had been killed by a 60-year-old white man. I never would have thought someone would say something so blatant. But if that man killed my 11-year-old son, those haters would leave us alone,” he said through tears.
Aiden Clark was killed last year when a minivan driven by Hemanio Joseph crashed into his school bus. Joseph, who was on Temporary Protected Status (TPS), was convicted of manslaughter and vehicular homicide in May and sentenced to nine to 13 years in prison, according to his lawyers. Joseph’s lawyers have appealed the conviction.
In this still from a live recording, Nathan and Daniel Clark speak at a Springfield City Commission meeting on September 10, 2024 in Springfield, Ohio.
City of Springfield, Ohio – Government/YouTube
Some Haitians in the U.S. qualify for TPS, a temporary permit to live and work legally. The Department of Homeland Security designates certain countries as eligible for TPS if it determines they are too dangerous for migrants to return because of civil unrest, natural disasters or other reasons.
Nathan Clark called on Vance, Trump, Ohio Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno and Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy to apologize for encouraging “hatred” over Aiden’s death, calling Roy “morally bankrupt.”
“This needs to stop now,” he said. “They can spew all the hate they want about illegal immigration, the border crisis and even false claims about fluffy pets being ravaged and eaten by local residents, but they are not allowed to mention Aiden Clark of Springfield, Ohio, and never have been allowed to do so.”
The allegations about Springfield’s Haitian community went viral among conservatives, with Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee using AI tools to play footage of Trump holding cats and ducks, portraying him as an animal savior.
One photo circulating online showing a man holding a dead goose was taken two months ago in Columbus, Ohio, rather than Springfield. The resident who took the photo told ABC News he was surprised his photo was being used “to promote a false narrative.”
In a post on X on Tuesday, Vance falsely claimed that Haitian immigrants were eating people’s pets in town, a claim he later acknowledged was likely false.
“Over the past few weeks, my office has received numerous inquiries from Springfield residents reporting that their neighborhood pets or local wildlife have been kidnapped by Haitian immigrants,” Vance wrote to X. “Of course, it is possible that all of these rumors may turn out to be false.”
But then he continued: “You know what’s been confirmed? A child was murdered by Haitian immigrants who had no right to be here.”
Vance then criticized Harris over the Biden administration’s extension of temporary protected status for tens of thousands of Haitian migrants.
A spokesperson for Vance did not respond to ABC News requests for comment or further information about the incident described in Vance’s post.
Asked to comment on the Clarks’ petition, Trump campaign spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said, “We offer our deepest condolences to the Clark family for the loss of their son. We hope that the media will continue to report on the very real suffering and tragedy experienced by the residents of Springfield, Ohio as a result of the influx of illegal immigrants from Haiti.”
During Tuesday’s debate, Trump brought up unfounded claims circulating online about immigrants in Springfield.
Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance arrive at the 9/11 Memorial on the 23rd anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, September 11, 2024.
Yuki Iwamura/AP
Springfield Mayor Brian Heck also condemned the misinformation being spread on social media and in the political arena.
“The community of Springfield is experiencing remarkable progress, increasing its attractiveness to new residents, including immigrants,” Heck said in an online statement. “This growth is supported by our city’s diverse and strong industrial base, including the technology, automotive and food production and distribution sectors. A growing workforce supports the expansion of local companies and contributes to the stability of the local economy. Our city’s commitment to promoting a business-friendly environment is attracting new companies to the area, and we remain committed to working with industry leaders who want to locate here.”
He also said the challenges associated with a growing immigrant population come not from the growth itself but from the pace of the growth.
“These rumors will not distract us from addressing the very real strain on our resources, including the impact on our schools, our health care system and our emergency responders,” Heck said.
According to the city’s website, people are moving to the area because of the low cost of living and job opportunities. The city estimates there are about 12,000 to 15,000 new residents in the county, and the rapid population growth is straining housing, health care and school resources.
But the city also maintains that the immigrants are in the country legally and that many are recipients of Temporary Protected Status.
The Haitian Bridge Alliance condemned the “baseless and inflammatory” claims about Haitian immigrants, arguing that they “not only perpetuate harmful stereotypes, but also contribute to the dangerous stigmatization of immigrant communities, particularly Black immigrants from the Republic of Haiti.”
The group also wants an apology.
ABC News’ Emmanuel Saliba, Sue-Lynn Kim, Julia Reinstein and Hannah Demissie contributed to this report.
