Victims hit, killed by Amtrak train in Chester were 9 and 12 years old

CHESTER, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The victims who were struck and killed by a train in Chester, Pa. over the weekend have been identified as two children.

Jahaad Atkinson, 9, and Ahyir Womack, 12, were hit around 4:30 p.m. Saturday on the tracks in the 400 block of Wilson Street.

Officials say the children were struck and killed by the 161 Amtrak train heading southbound to Washington D.C.

The train came to a stop several blocks later at Highland Avenue, according to officials.

Leaders from the Chester Community Charter School are stepping up to show their support for the two late students.

The school's CEO, David Clark, told Action News on Wednesday that Atkinson and Womack were well-mannered children who were loved by their peers.

Womack was a former student, who was recently homeschooled, while Atkinson was enrolled in the second grade.

"Everybody liked them, teachers, the principal, the dean, classmates, everybody," said Clark. "Both of them have siblings here, cousins here, and friends here. So it's very devastating for the entire school community."

Clark also stated that there were other children on the track with Womack and Atkinson who were able to escape the train.

"I've been in education for 35 years and this is the worst, most tragic event I've had to experience," he said.

Action News spoke with a woman last week who says she saw a group of children on the train tracks shortly before the crash.

She says she tried to urge them to leave the tracks.

"There was about five, or six, or seven of them. It was a pack of children on the track," recalled Tracey from Chester. "We were getting out of the car and I said, 'Oh, look at them children up there on that track.' I said, 'Ya'll need to come down off that track,' and they just looked, and I said 'Ya'll come down before you have an accident,' and they just laughed and went about their business."

"I just wish the children would have listened," Tracey continued, "and I'm just so sorry."

Clark says the school is focusing on working with the district to provide safer places for children to go to, outside of school.

"We have to learn from this and provide more activities for our students," he said.

Chester Charter School is helping to raise money for the families of the victims to help with funeral costs and more.

A candlelight vigil is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. at Martin Luther King Memorial Park.