A mother and child were killed after an SUV crashed into a tree and practically split in two on a two-lane residential road in Oceanside Tuesday night, police said.
Oceanside police said a 30-year-old woman was driving an SUV "at a high rate of speed" on Douglas Drive just south of Pala Road when the vehicle crashed into a tree and rolled over several times at about 8:15 p.m., appearing to split in half.
The woman and a six-year-old girl were killed ejected from the SUV and were declared dead at the scene, Oceanside police said.
Four other children, ages 10 to 15, were seriously injured. Police said a 10-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy were in critical condition and were transported by air ambulance to trauma centers. A 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy had minor injuries and the latter has already been released from the hospital.
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Video of the aftermath showed an SUV that appeared split in half, with both the front and rear of the vehicle facing the same direction. No other vehicles were involved.
Oceanside police were investigating the crash. The cause was not yet known.
Investigators believe all the occupants may have been related but are not yet clear on the exact relationship between all. The deceased will not be identified until family can be notified, police said.
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At least one of the victims may have been tied to a school in the Oceanside Unified School District, which released a statement in regard to the crash and said counseling services wee being provided to any students in need of support.
"There are no words to describe the unthinkable pain these young children and their family face as they process this loss. We are asking the entire Oceanside community to offer all the love and support that they can," the statement said.
