After an 8-year-old boy was struck and killed by a school bus in Omaha, Nebraska, on Monday, his grieving mother has forgiven the driver and accepted the death as something that was meant to happen.

Haji Mohamed, who was born in the United States to a Kenyan family who fled violence, had just gotten dropped off by the bus when he ran in front of the vehicle and was hit about a block from his home.

Hours later, his mother stood on her front lawn with dozens of family members and explained to reporters that her Muslim faith was guiding her through this difficult time.

“It was written before he was born,” his mother, Amina Khamis, told the Omaha World-Herald. “It was his time to go.”

Surveillance video from a nearby home shows that several of the children who were also dropped off immediately crossed the street, while Haji stayed on the side where he disembarked, reported KETV.

Seconds later, the bus moved out of the intersection, the boy darted into the street, and the collision occurred. 

Haji was taken by ambulance to the Nebraska Medical Center in extremely critical condition. Shortly after arriving at the hospital, the child was pronounced dead.

“At this time, Omaha Public Schools administrators, Student Transportation of America and OPS Student Transportation are cooperating with the Omaha Police Department as they investigate the incident,” Omaha Public Schools spokeswoman Monique Farmer said in a statement.

“Administrators are also supporting and working with the family of the student,” the statement said.

Amina Khamis, the boy’s mother, said she holds no anger toward the bus driver.

“In order to let him go free, you have to forgive,” she told the World-Herald. “It was an accident.”