'No Words': Lassiter High School Mourns Brothers Killed In Crash

EAST COBB, GA -- Lassiter High School students and faculty mourned Tuesday, one day after the death of two students who were killed when the car they were riding in smashed into a special-needs school bus. Grief counselors were enlisted to help students and faculty at the school, according to news reports.

The victims have been identified as James "Jim" Irving Pratt, 18, and Joseph "Joe" Thomas Pratt, 14, who both attended the high school in East Cobb, the Cobb County School District said.

While both siblings were members of the NJROTC program, James was a senior and his brother was a freshman. The teens were on their way to a dentist appointment when the vehicle they were in collided with the bus on on Ga 92 (Woodstock Road).
Read more: Teen Brothers Killed In Roswell School Bus Accident
The students aboard the bus, which was from Roswell High School, were uninjured, police said.
The brothers were very involved with NJROTC, including volunteering at Brumby Elementary School for special events and related after-school activities.
Their sister, Lilly, is a junior at Lassiter and also involved in NJROTC, the system added. Lassiter Principal Dr. Chris Richie told parents of the students' tragic deaths in a letter, saying:
There are no words that eases the pain that has devastated our Lassiter family and left us heartbroken. James was a senior and Joe was a freshman; both can only be described as academically motivated, exceptional young men, with tremendous leadership potential that we witnessed daily throughout our school and in our NJROTC program. On behalf of all members of the Lassiter staff, our deepest condolences are with the Pratt family and friends during this difficult time.

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with funeral costs. The account says in part:

On April 24, 2017 Jim (age18) and Joe (age 14) Pratt were victims of a tragic car accident that sadly took their lives. Both were students at Lassiter High School and members of the NJROTC program, and were well respected young men among their teachers and peers. They leave behind their mom, Jamie and sisters Stella and Lilly, as well as a large extended family. Please help support this family to raise funds to assist with expenses related to funeral arrangements.

The accident remains under investigation by local authorities, who want to know what happened seconds before the fatal wreck.
Photo: from left, James and Joe Pratt. Credit: Cobb County School District