WLS(ROCHESTER, Ind.) — Three children from the same family were killed and a fourth child was seriously injured Tuesday morning when they were struck by a pickup truck as they were about to board a school bus, police said.
Twin 6-year-old brothers and their 9-year-old sister were killed in incident on a rural road in Indiana, and an 11-year-old boy suffered multiple broken bones, police told ABC Indianapolis affiliate WRTV.
The incident occurred around 7:15 a.m. in Rochester, a city near Fort Wayne, the Indiana State Police said. The injured boy was taken to a Fort Wayne hospital by helicopter.
The four children were crossing a two-lane road from a mobile home park to get to their school bus when they were struck by a Toyota Tacoma truck, police said. A preliminary investigation showed the yellow school bus was in the northbound lane of State Road 25 with its emergency lights flashing and its and its stop-sign arm out when the children were struck by the southbound truck, state police said.
ISP is investigating a fatal crash in Fulton County. Preliminary info is three children were struck & killed at a school bus stop near 4600 N State Road 25. @ISPPeru PIO Sgt. Tony Slocum is at the scene. Updated and confirmed info will be sent via news release later today.
— Indiana State Police (@IndStatePolice) October 30, 2018
The driver of the truck is a 24-year-old woman who stayed at the scene and has been cooperating with police, WRTV reported.
The Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation posted a statement on Facebook after the incident.
“Our school corporation has suffered a tragedy this morning. We have learned of three student fatalities and one student seriously injured and airlifted to a Fort Wayne hospital as they were hit by a vehicle while boarding their bus. We have deployed all school counselors to meet the emotional needs of our staff, students and parents,” the school wrote on Facebook. “We are awaiting to learn more confirmed details but wish to ask the community to come together to pray for the families, our students and our staff.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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