MIDDLETON, Idaho — A Middleton community is finding ways to come together after a 14-year-old was hit and killed outside Middleton High School on Friday night.
One of the first acts of support came from a simple but meaningful task — clearing weeds from the sidewalks near the school to make the path safer for students.
Kassie Knapp, a Middleton High mom, organized the effort after recognizing a hazard that students had long known about. Goatheads, a weed common to the area, had overtaken the sidewalks near the school and are known to pop bike tires.
"I just wanted to do anything I could to help, you know, make other kids safe and come together as a community," Knapp said.
She and another mom, Jessie, along with their kids, cleared the sidewalks on both sides of the street.
"We did this whole sidewalk to the end of the street on both sides, and then along down over to where the end of the sidewalk is over here," Knapp said.
WATCH: Neighbors help make the path safer for students:
Knapp said she knows the 14-year-old, Carson, through the Middleton wrestling community.
Another Middleton mom, Casey Frediani, is using her custom apparel-making skills to support Carson's family financially.
"I'm only taking my costs and I am giving back the rest of it to the family," Frediani said.
Carson was a member of the Middleton High School freshman football team. As the school marks homecoming week, students and staff are being encouraged to support his teammates at Thursday night's freshman game.
For Knapp, the tragedy carries an added layer of grief. She also knows the mother who has been charged in connection with the collision.
"That's one thing that's hard is I know the driver, which just surprised me because she's an amazing mom," Knapp said.
Knapp said she hopes the community will be mindful of the families on all sides of the tragedy.
"It just saddens me. I get it. I get everyone's upset. I'm with them, but at the same time, like, leave the kids out of it, leave her family out of it," Knapp said.
The freshman football game is at 5 p.m. on Thursday, and the public is invited to attend and support the team.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
