Just before the presidential debate on ABC News on Tuesday, the parents of a child who died last year in a bus accident in Springfield, Ohio, caused by a Haitian immigrant made an emotional plea to former President Donald Trump, vice presidential candidate JD Vance and others to stop using their child’s death “as a political tool.”

“They used my son’s name and used his death for political purposes,” said Nathan Clark, speaking at a Springfield City Commission hearing. Standing next to his wife, Danielle, Clark said, “My son was not murdered. He was accidentally killed by an immigrant from Haiti.”

“I wish my son Aiden Clark had been killed by a 60-year-old white man. I bet you never thought anyone would ever say something so blunt. But if that guy had killed my 11-year-old son, the incessant group of hateful people would leave us alone,” he said through tears.

Aiden Clark was killed last year when a minivan driven by Hemanio Joseph crashed into his school bus. Joseph, whose legal team claims Temporary Protected Status (TPS), was found guilty of manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter in May and sentenced to nine to 13 years in prison. Joseph’s team has appealed the verdict.

Some Haitian nationals in the U.S. are eligible for TPS, which gives them temporary permission to live and work in the country legally. The Department of Homeland Security designates certain countries for TPS when it deems it too dangerous to return the migrants due to civil unrest, natural disasters, or other reasons.

Nathan Clark demanded an apology from Vance, Trump, Bernie Moreno, the Republican Senate candidate in Ohio, and Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy, whom he called “morally bankrupt” for “turning Aiden’s death into hate.”

“This has to stop now,” he said. “They can spread all the hate they want about illegal immigrants, the border crisis and even false claims about furry pets being trashed and eaten by community members. But they are not allowed to mention Aiden Clark of Springfield, Ohio – and they have never been allowed to.”

The claims about Springfield’s Haitian community spread quickly in conservative circles, including reports that Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee used artificial intelligence to show Trump holding cats and ducks, portraying him as an animal savior.

One of the most prominent images circulating online, showing a man holding a dead goose, was not taken in Springfield, but in Columbus, Ohio, two months ago. The local resident who took the picture told ABC News he was surprised that his image was being used to “spread false narratives.”

In a post on X published Tuesday, Vance refuted claims that Haitian migrants were eating people’s pets in the city – a claim he later admitted but may be false.

“Over the past few weeks, my office has received many inquiries from Springfield residents saying their neighbors’ pets or local wildlife have been kidnapped by Haitian migrants,” Vance wrote on X. “It is, of course, possible that all of these rumors turn out to be false.”

But then he continued: “Do you know what is confirmed? That a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant who had no right to be here.”

Vance then criticized Harris for the Biden administration’s decision to extend temporary protected status for tens of thousands of Haitian migrants.

A spokesperson for Vance did not respond when ABC News asked for comment and more information about the incident he described in the post.

When asked for comment on the Clarks’ request, Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump campaign, said, “We deeply regret the Clark family’s loss of their son. We hope the media will continue to report on the very real suffering and tragedy experienced by the people of Springfield, Ohio due to the influx of illegal Haitian immigrants into their community.”

During Tuesday’s debate, Trump addressed the unsubstantiated allegations about immigrants in Springfield that were circulating online.

Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck also condemned the misinformation circulating on social media and at the political level.

“Our Springfield community is making remarkable progress that contributes to its growing appeal to new residents, including immigrants,” Heck said in an online statement. “This development is underpinned by our city’s diverse and robust industrial base, which includes the technology, automotive, food production and distribution sectors. The growth of our workforce has supported the expansion of local companies and helped stabilize the local economy. Our commitment to fostering a business-friendly environment has attracted new companies to our region, and we will continue to focus on working with industry leaders seeking to establish operations here.”

He also explained that the challenges associated with the growing immigrant population are not due to growth itself, but to the pace of growth.

“These rumors will not distract us from addressing the real strain on our resources, including the impact on our schools, our health care system and our first responders,” Heck said.

Migrants have been drawn to the area because of the low cost of living and job opportunities, the city’s website says. The city estimates that about 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants live in the county, and the rapid population increase has strained resources for housing, health care and schools.

However, the city also emphasizes that the migrants are staying in the country legally and that many of them have been granted temporary protection status.

The Haitian Bridge Alliance condemned “baseless and inflammatory” claims about Haitian migrants, arguing that they “not only perpetuate harmful stereotypes but also contribute to the dangerous stigmatization of immigrant communities, particularly black immigrants from the Republic of Haiti.”

The group also demanded an apology.

During Tuesday’s debate, Trump railed against migrants from Haiti who steal and eat people’s pets.

“They eat the dogs. The people who came here. They eat the cats. They eat – they eat the pets of the people who live there. And that’s what’s happening in our country. And it’s a disgrace.”

Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck also condemned the misinformation circulating on social media and at the political level.

“Our Springfield community is making remarkable progress that contributes to its growing appeal to new residents, including immigrants,” Heck said in an online statement. “This development is underpinned by our city’s diverse and robust industrial base, which includes the technology, automotive, food production and distribution sectors. The growth of our workforce has supported the expansion of local companies and helped stabilize the local economy. Our commitment to fostering a business-friendly environment has attracted new companies to our region, and we will continue to focus on working with industry leaders seeking to establish operations here.”

He also explained that the challenges associated with the growing immigrant population are not due to growth itself, but to the pace of growth.

“These rumors will not distract us from addressing the real strain on our resources, including the impact on our schools, our health care system and our first responders,” Heck said.

Migrants have been drawn to the area because of the low cost of living and job opportunities, the city’s website says. The city estimates that about 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants live in the county, and the rapid population increase has strained resources for housing, health care and schools.

However, the city also emphasizes that the migrants are in the country legally and that many of them receive TPS benefits.

The Haitian Bridge Alliance condemned “baseless and inflammatory” claims about Haitian migrants, arguing that they “not only perpetuate harmful stereotypes but also contribute to the dangerous stigmatization of immigrant communities, particularly black immigrants from the Republic of Haiti.”

The group also demanded an apology.

ABC News’ Julia Reinstein and Hannah Demissie contributed to this report.