La. crash claims 5th child victim

December 01, 2009|Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS - A fifth child died yesterday from her injuries after a minivan carrying 15 people blew a tire and crashed on Interstate 10 in Louisiana, officials said.

The State Police said 12-year-old Ariel Hines of Harvey died at a Baton Rouge hospital.

The crash Saturday near Baton Rouge also killed the minivan’s driver and four other children, ranging in age from 2 to 14. The others in the van were injured, some critically.

Police have said that none of the 13 children was wearing a seat belt, and that all were thrown from the vehicle. Officials also said the minivan was probably overweight and not designed to carry so many.

State Police spokesman Russell Graham said the van did not have enough seat belts for everyone. The driver and the other adult were wearing them.

“I just saw the vehicle flip about three or four times and kids flying everywhere,’’ witness Tammy Hall told WAFB-TV.

Police identified the dead as Mona Hines, 38; Ricky Hines Jr., 2; Lachante Floyd, 12; Edward Barnes, 14; and Ashley Hines, also 14.

Police were trying to determine how fast the vehicle was traveling when it crashed.