A BPS bus driver resigned after he was suspended for an accident that killed 5-year-old Lens Arthur Joseph in late April, district staff said Thursday.

“The death of a child is a horrible tragedy that no family should have to endure,” a district spokesperson said Thursday. … “Over the past two weeks, BPS Transportation has gathered information on the events of April 28 and begun implementing an ongoing after action review and response.”

BPS identified the bus driver as Jean Charles, an employee for Transdev since May 2023. Charles resigned on Wednesday, just prior to when his termination hearing was set to begin, district officials said.

The resignation comes just over two weeks after Lens, a kindergartener at Up Academy in Dorchester, was struck and killed by a school bus after being dropped off on Washington Street in Hyde Park after school on April 28. Family members say Lens was with his 11-year old cousin at the time.

In the hours after the tragedy, the BPS spokesperson said, district transportation officials and Transdev worked with the law enforcement on the scene, and the company “immediately placed the driver on leave.”

Charles had an expired school bus certificate at the time of the accident, according to BPS and the city, one of three licenses required to be a school bus driver in Massachusetts.

BPS was notified of the expired license after the accident, the district and city stated. Charles had the necessary qualifications to renew the certificate and had been notified, according to BPS and the city, but had not done so.

BPS stated it does not independently verify the drivers’ licenses or hire and employ drivers.

School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson and Superintendent Mary Skipper both commented during a Wednesday night meeting on the deaths of Lens and another 14-year-old student at the Roosevelt K-8 School named Marvin, calling the loss profound and devastating. Details were not given on how the second student died.

“I just want to reassure the committee in the case of Lens and our bus accident,” Skipper said, “We immediately have started to work with Transdev, which is the contractor that does our hiring and training of our bus drivers, to ensure that our bus driver group has been appropriately trained and to make sure that they’re supported. Because in any situation in which there is a loss of life of a student, that goes through the entire district.”

Skipper said the district has been working immediately to support the families and school communities.

Within the last two weeks, safety leadership started reporting all safety incidents at daily operations meetings and Transdev has added safety staff in Boston. Transdev is also accelerating drivers’ regular trainings on pickup, drop off and accident protocols.

BPS said the district is currently supporting the ongoing investigation led by the Suffolk County DA’s Office and Boston Police. The district spokesperson said they are working to “share accurate information with the public as quickly and thoughtfully as possible,” which will be informed by the release of investigative conclusions.

A BPS spokesperson said, “We mourn the death of Lens Joseph and grieve with his family at this terrible time.”