Woman and 2-Year-Old Girl in Unsecured Seat Killed in ‘Violent Collision’ After Running Stop Sign

A 28-year-old woman and a 2-year-old girl have reportedly died after a crash in Fresno County, California.

The collision happened on Wednesday, Dec. 17, shortly after 10 a.m., near the intersection of Jefferson and Walnut avenues in the Easton area, according to local outlets abc30, The Fresno Bee and KSEE24. Authorities said the woman and toddler were riding in a Honda Civic when it ran a stop sign and entered the path of a Chevrolet Tahoe, leading to what the California Highway Patrol (CHP) described to KSEE24 as a “violent collision.”

Investigators said the child was partially ejected during the crash, according to abc30. A child safety seat was not found in the Honda, and the toddler was unrestrained, the outlets reported. The woman is also believed to not have been wearing a seatbelt at the time.

The woman, who has not been publicly identified, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the 2-year-old girl later died at the hospital, KSEE24 reported.

“Such heart wrenching feelings that go through emotions for the first responders we can’t say it loud enough, wear your seatbelts, if you have children that need to be in car seats please do that,” CHP officer Mike Salas said in a statement, per abc30.

Two teenagers — a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy who were in the other vehicle — were taken to the hospital with moderate injuries, abc30 reported. Authorities said both teens were wearing seatbelts, according to The Fresno Bee and KSEE24.

The Fresno Bee reported that the force of the crash was significant enough that the teens’ vehicle ended up with a wheel upright, while the Honda Civic came to rest on its side.

Residents who arrived in the aftermath described a chaotic scene, abc30 reported.

“I ran outside, and the first thing I saw as I got to the blue car was a little toddler ejected from the car,” Aiden Wettlaufer told the outlet. “That was horrible, that was really sad, I have no words about that.”

The CHP has urged families who need help obtaining a car seat to contact their local law enforcement for assistance. Officials are continuing to investigate the crash, KSEE24 reported.

The California Highway Patrol and the Fresno County Police Department were contacted for comment.