West Clermont Middle School students, staff mourning following death of student

Grief counselors were at West Clermont Middle School Monday following the death of eighth-grader Patrick “Patchy” Barkey.

Barkey, 13, died over the weekend after being struck by a vehicle in the 1200 block of Summerside Road in Union Township.

Not much is known about the incident that claimed Barkey's life. Union Township Police declined to release more details about the incident on Monday morning.

Grief counselors from Clermont County Crisis Team and Child Focus were available in the school's media center all day Monday for students and staff who need them, West Clermont Communications Coordinator Scott Spicher said in an email.

More:Police: Juvenile pedestrian killed in Union Township, 2 others injured

“They are certainly addressing the needs of their community,” he wrote.

The sadness resulting from Barkey's death is evident on Facebook with individuals posting their thoughts and prayers on the social media platform.

“It is with a very heavy heart that I need to pass along some very sad news,” reads a post on the West Clermont Middle School Facebook page. "One of our WCMS 8th grade students was in an accident Saturday night and passed away early Sunday morning."

According to the post, Barkey loved to play baseball and had many friends and family.

"Our hearts are broken and we are sending lots of love and positive energy to Patrick’s family and friends – we are one wolf pack and stand together,” the post read.

The family is working on services.

A news release sent Sunday by the department says a juvenile was struck by a vehicle Saturday night and died Sunday. A coroner’s report lists Barkey but does not show any other juveniles with a Clermont County address who died in motor vehicle/pedestrian accidents over the weekend.

According to the news release from Union Township Police, “Thru (sic) further investigation it was discovered that two additional juveniles suffered injuries as a result of the pedestrian being struck. Both were transported to Anderson Mercy Hospital. One of the juveniles has since been released. The other juvenile was transported from Anderson Mercy to Children’s Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.”

The driver, make and model of the vehicle, identities of the other juveniles and other circumstances of the incident are not publicly known.