Grieving Ohio parent asks politicians to 'stop the hate' toward Haitian immigrants

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - Amid a heated conversation about Haitian immigration in Springfield, the father of an 11-year-old boy accidentally killed by a Haitian immigrant urged the community to "stop the hate."

Springfield has been in the headlines and mentioned in Tuesday's presidential debate after former President Donald Trump and GOP vice presidential nominee Ohio Sen. JD Vance claimed without evidence that Haitian immigrants have been abducting and eating cats and dogs in the city.

Hermanio Joseph, an immigrant from Haiti, was driving a minivan and struck a Northwestern Local Schools bus that overturned in 2023. Aiden Clark died after being ejected from the bus and more than 20 other students were injured in the crash. Joseph was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and vehicular homicide and sentenced to a minimum of nine years in prison and a maximum of 13 ½ years in prison.

Nathan Clark, Aiden's father, said at a Springfield City Commission meeting on Tuesday night that he wished his son had been killed by a 60-year-old white man.

"I bet you never thought that anyone would say something that blunt, but if that guy killed my 11-year-old son, the incessant group of hate spewing people would leave us alone," Clark said. "The last thing that we need is to have the worst day of our lives violently and constantly shoved in our faces."

Nathan Clark asked politicians, including Vance and Trump, who've brought up his son's death, to apologize. He said to use his son as a political tool is "reprehensible."

"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. However, they are not allowed, nor have they ever been allowed to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio. I will listen to them one more time to hear their apologies," Clark said.

Clark said his son was passionate about gardening and researched different cultures to understand better the people he interacted with. He said he wants people to honor his son by living like Aiden to applause from the city commissioners and the assembled residents.

"Did you know that one of the worst feelings in the world is to not be able to protect your child? Even worse we can’t even protect his memory when he’s gone. Please stop the hate," Clark said.

Columbus Dispatch reporter Bethany Bruner contributed reporting.

Erin Glynn is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Grieving Ohio dad asks to 'stop the hate' toward Haitian immigrants