Congresswoman Bush Statement on Horrific Traffic Accident Injuring Janae Edmondson
St. Louis, Mo. (Feb. 24, 2022) — Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) released the following statement on the violent traffic accident that resulted in horrific injuries to Janae Edmondson.
“I am heartbroken by the horrific and reckless violence that gravely injured Janae Edmondson. I extend my deepest sympathies to her and her family as they navigate the difficult road ahead. No child should ever have to endure the trauma and harm that Janae has had to endure these last few days. She is a survivor, but she shouldn’t have to be. She should be in school, spending time with her family and friends, and continuing to excel in the sports she loves. But instead she is in a hospital bed. Janae, her family and her loved ones have every right to be angry and they deserve full accountability — as does our entire community. My office has reached out to a representative of the Edmondson family directly, and I stand ready to do everything in my power to support them as they love on and care for Janae during this difficult time.
“Accountability is layered, and in order to obtain the full accountability this situation rightfully demands, each layer must be addressed. This isn’t about any one prosecutor or judge. The harm that Janae Edmondson has endured is emblematic of a system-wide failure. There were decisions all across our criminal legal system that contributed to this tragedy—and our community deserves answers. There must be transparency and more stringent oversight to determine every person, action, and process that led up to this horrible incident. And all parties responsible for Janae Edmondson’s injuries must be held accountable.
“It is clear that our city’s institutions must work more closely together to advance community safety policies that would have prevented the horrific violence that Janae Edmondson has faced. We cannot allow this tragedy to be weaponized by reactionary forces whose sole mission is to expand brutal and arbitrary carceral strategies that make us less safe. And we must reject disingenuous, misogynistic, and racist calls by state officials to circumvent the will of St. Louisans who have entrusted democratically elected local officials to oversee and implement public safety. Every person harmed by violence reflects a moral and policy failure that demands our collective responsibility.
“We must also recognize that what happened to Janae Edmondson is not an anomaly, and genuine accountability requires a sustained commitment to adopting a holistic public safety approach, including re-envisioning pedestrian safety and traffic enforcement. This means urgently addressing the traffic violence that regularly occurs on our streets by implementing an evidence-based, preventative traffic and pedestrian safety plan, encompassing ideas long championed by lawmakers and advocates alike.
“As we continue to keep Janae and the entire Edmondson family in our thoughts, know this: my team and I will continue to work with local leaders on evidence-based strategies that prevent violence and harm in our community, because the safety and well-being of Missouri’s First District is a matter of paramount importance.”
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