LANCASTER, N.Y. (WKBW) — 7-year-old Noah Cesidio Whitmore was killed in a car accident in Lancaster earlier this week.
The accident happened on Tuesday at 2:50 p.m. in the area of 5849 Broadway. Authorities said the single vehicle involved in the crash went off the road and hit a tree. The boy was taken to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Whitmore was a second-grade student in the Depew Union Free School District, and his father was driving the vehicle. He has not been charged and is cooperating with investigators.
"It appears the driver was traveling in the passing lane...may have been distracted by something at the time," Detective Lieutenant Shaun Dimino said. "By his statement, he had looked up, saw vehicles were either slowing or coming to a stop and swerved to avoid a collision."
7 News reporter Michael Schwartz spoke to Whitmore's grandfather, Elias Benavides, on Thursday.
Benavides said Whitmore is remembered as a boy with a great sense of humor and a creative mind.
“Noah was a lot of fun; he was basically your all-American kid,” said Benavides.
Benavides said his daughter Carly, Whitmore’s mom, is an RN at Buffalo General. She left work to rush to another local hospital where he was taken to meet her family.
“We got to say goodbye to him,” said Benavides. “He was still him. We could still hold his hand, rub his hair.”
Whitmore was Benavides’ first grandchild.
“He taught me how to be a grandfather,” said an emotional Benavides. “We have to accept God’s plan…If God has a plan, who am I to question that? I have to accept that. We’re broken. We are truly broken right now, but the community has caught us and supported us and held us with donations, with love, with prayers, and prayers are real; they do help, and they comfort you.”
The crash remains under investigation.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help support Whitmore's family.
The Depew Union Free School District released the following statement on Wednesday:
Dear Depew School Community,
On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, one of our second grade students passed away, as a result of an accident. We extend our condolences to his family, as our thoughts, prayers, and support are with them.
Our Crisis Response Team has met to prepare to help our students, faculty and staff deal with this loss. Our school counselors are available in case anyone is in need of assistance.
If you feel you need to contact your child's teacher, school counselor or principal, please feel free to call as soon as possible, as we will be ready to assist in any way that we can.
The following may be helpful as you talk with your child:In addition:
- Listening is important. Grieving students need a safe, trusted adult who will listen.
- Allow for your child to talk about feelings. If this is the first loss your child has experienced, your child may not know how to respond and will be looking for your guidance.
- Affirm all expressions. It's okay to express feelings honestly. Show patience with the expressions rather than dismissing them or discouraging the expression of feelings.
- Encourage written expressions such as notes, letters, pictures to the family, etc.
- Affirm that your child's reaction is normal and you understand the way the child feels.
- Be honest. Talk about death vs. "going to sleep."
- Routines provide a sense of safety, which is very comforting to a child.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call me at (716) 686-5105.
- Resources are available through our school counselors to help children and families deal with death.
- Continued counseling services are available at school if needed.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey R. Rabey Ph.D.
Interim Superintendent of Schools
Depew Union Free School District
The Lancaster Police Department is asking for anyone with any information on what happened to call the detective on this case at 716-683-2800 ext. 223.
