Mom and 2 daughters killed in fiery 3-vehicle crash after celebrating teen’s birthday at concert
Mom Vanessa and her daughters, Kylie and Kloie, had been driving home from a gig in Fresco, Calif. when the collision occurred in the early hours of Monday, Aug. 17
NEED TO KNOW
- A mom and her two daughters have died after being involved in a three-vehicle collision on California’s Highway 99 in the early hours of Monday, Aug. 17
- The victims’ car caught fire after the vehicles collided and mom Vanessa and her daughters, Kloie and Kylie, died at the scene
- The trio had been on their way home after attending a concert in Fresno to celebrate Kloie’s 17th birthday when the crash occurred, per a GoFundMe page set up to support the family
A mother and her two daughters have been killed after being involved in a three-vehicle crash on California’s Highway 99 while returning home from a concert.
The collision occurred at around 12:44 a.m. local time on Monday, Aug. 17, near Bakersfield in the state’s Central Valley region, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said, per the San Francisco Chronicle.
One of the vehicles was traveling northbound in a southbound lane when it collided with two other vehicles, police said. They added that they had not ascertained which of the three vehicles had been traveling the wrong way, the outlet reported.
The vehicle containing the family caught fire after the cars collided, and all three died at the scene, the CHP said, per the Chronicle.
According to ABC7 Bay Area, two people in one of the other cars were taken to the hospital with severe injuries, while two in the third car sustained minor injuries.
The CHP said it had not determined whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash amid the ongoing investigation, per the Chronicle.
The Kern County Coroner’s Office has not formally identified the victims, but a GoFundMe fundraiser has named the mom as Vanessa and her daughters as Kylie and Kloie.
The trio had attended a concert featuring Thee Sacred Souls, La Lom and The Womack Sisters in the city of Fresno to celebrate Kloie’s upcoming 17th birthday, according to the Chronicle.
Kloie’s birthday would have been on Thursday, Aug. 20, the GoFundPage stated. The fundraiser added that Vanessa leaves behind a son, who was turning 16 on the same day.
The page has been set up to help the family manage funeral and memorial expenses, “immediate family needs,” and support for Vanessa’s son, “as he navigates life after the unimaginable loss of his mom and sisters,” per the description.
“There are simply no words for the magnitude of this loss or for what this family is facing in the days, weeks, and months ahead,” the fundraiser said.
“Vanessa, Kloie, and Kylie were so much more than the three lives mentioned in a news story. They were a mom, daughters, sisters, family and friends who were deeply loved and who should have made it home that night,” the description added.
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Kloie attended Centennial High School in Bakersfield, and the school’s softball team paid tribute to the late teenager on social media.
“Her presence on and off the field will never be forgotten,” a Facebook post included. “Kloie will forever be a Golden Hawk.”
The California Highway Patrol and the Kern County Coroner’s Office didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.
