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Authorities identify Brockton woman as MBTA bus driver killed in Quincy accident

Foul play is not suspected in the death of Sanyi Harris, 45, officials said.

By Christopher Gavin

3 minutes to read

An MBTA bus driver who was killed in an accident at the Quincy Center Station busway Saturday has been identified as Sanyi Harris, 45, of Brockton, by the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office.

Spokesman David Traub told The Boston Globe that Harris’s death is still under investigation by state police detectives, but said that “foul play is not suspected at this time.”

The incident happened around 12:45 p.m., the Globe reports.

First responders pulled Harris from underneath a bus at the scene, according to the newspaper. She was then brought to Quincy Medical Center.

In a statement Monday, MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak and Jim Evers, president of the Boston Carmen’s Union, which represents MBTA employees, said Harris “was a dedicated mother, employee, friend, and union sister at the MBTA since 2011.”

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“Bus operators perform a difficult job and are crucial to the delivery of the MBTA’s core services,” the statement said. “Sanyi’s death is an immense tragedy and her family, friends, and colleagues are owed a thorough investigation into the circumstances to determine the cause of this accident, as well as any potential risks that could have been contributing factors.”

The T and the union will not comment further on the incident until the investigation is complete, officials said.

The MBTA is offering access to grief counseling for employees, Poftak and Evers said.

Harris’s family also released a statement Monday, in which they thanked the union and the MBTA for their support “during this horrific tragedy for our family.”

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“We are deeply shocked, saddened, and struggling to come to terms with Sanyi’s untimely passing,” the family said. “We understand that the MBTA has initiated an investigation and we shall await their findings.”

An online fundraising campaign has been established to help support Harris’s son and daughter, her family said.

According to the GoFundMe page, Harris — known affectionally as Keni or Kenitra — left behind a set of twins, Semi and Semiya Eriyo-Harris, who turned 21 years old a week before her death.

She is also survived by her three sisters and her nieces and nephews.

A post on the page described Harris as a “nurturing, caring, and devoted mother.”

“Keni was a dedicated and hard working employee for the MBTA, for almost 10 years,” the page says. “Keni worked diligently and tirelessly to provide a home for her two children.”

Money raised will help Harris’s children remain in the home she purchased almost two years ago, according to the campaign.

“Keni suffered from medical issues but she never once made or used her illness as an excuse to not properly provide for her family. Keni pushed through the limitations that others gave her,” the page says. “Keni made a pledge to herself to provide and supply her children with a stable and loving life. Keni always showed up to work with the motivation and drive to do the job assigned to her. The compassion she had to provide for her family gave her the strength to push forward and ensure her children and her loved ones, never went without.”

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Before Harris was identified on Sunday, the union released its own statement asking people to keep her family in their thoughts and prayers.

“We’re sure today was like any other for our union sister,” the union wrote on its website. “She punched in, worked hard to get her riders safely to their destinations, and looked forward to going home at the end of her shift. Sadly, she did not make it home, which underscores the dangers inherent in the type of work we do.”

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