Four children passed away after the car carrying them, their mother, and a man drove off the road and into a nearby pond. The accident took place in Kansas on Thanksgiving morning.
According to Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Ben Gardner, that accident took place around 11:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving. The family of six were “not Kansas residents.”
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The statement continued:
“At approximately 11:30 a.m., Republic County dispatch requested KHP assistance with a vehicle that has left the roadway, going into a pond, nothingnesses of 30 road and U36 highway in the county. First responders arrived on scene discovering an adult male and injured female. In addition, four children all under 8 years of age had died on scene.”
As the statement added, the investigation into what caused the accident is still ongoing. “The adult female (mother) has been transported to Salina hospital. The adult male is being interviewed.”
As NBC News reports, the crash took place near the Nebraska border. The children’s identities have also not been made public due to the nature of their mother’s injuries. However, a woman claiming to be their grandmother, Sue Pugmire, has shared a fundraiser on Facebook to raise money for their funerals.
She wrote, “These are my 4 grandsons that were lost to a horrible accident. We need and appreciate any and all that you may be able to help us lay these babies to rest. Thank you and God Bless you.”
The fundraiser identifies the boys as 12-year-old Ronald, 9-year-old Travis, 4-year-old Moses, and 8-month-old Axton.
The mother has been labeled in “serious condition,” meaning authorities have not yet been able to question the woman, who reportedly has “the majority of the information on the children, but she is not completely accessible,” Gardner told NBC News.
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Gardner also noted that the uninjured man who was taken in for questioning did not know the children very well. The trooper told NBC News that it is unclear how, or if, he is related to the mother and her children. But the fundraiser shared by Sue identified him as the mother’s boyfriend.
It’s unclear if the authorities expect foul play or not.