Three Alabama high school cheerleaders die and a fourth is injured after their car loses control and smashes into trees in Christmas Day horror crash
- Addyson Martin, Emilee Fain, Cassidy Dunn – all 16 – died in the crash
- The three girls were sitting in the front of the SUV and two more were in the back
- Authorities do not know what caused them to lose control; they said they may have been swerving to avoid hitting a deer
- One of the girls in the backseat had to be airlifted from the scene to the hospital
- She and the other girl who was injured less seriously are expected to recover
Three 16-year-old cheerleaders have died and a fourth is seriously injured after their vehicle lost control and plowed into trees on Christmas Day.
Addyson Martin, Emilee Fain, Cassidy Dunn were all sitting in the front seat of a small SUV when their car crashed on Wednesday night.
They died and two girls who were in the back suffered injuries. One is seriously injured in the hospital. The other was not as badly hurt.
Police say the five girls had all been together at a Christmas gathering and were going to someone else’s home when the accident happened.
L-R: Cassidy Dunn, Addyson Martin and Emilee Fain all died in the SUV crash on Wednesday
This was what was left of the vehicle after the crash. Two girls in the backseat were injured
Authorities do not yet know what caused them to lose control.
‘We’re not sure for what reason they lost control, but it hit a big oak tree. It could have been a deer ran out in front of them,’ Lt. Michael McDuffie said.
A photograph from WTVY-TV showed the vehicle on a wrecker with the roof apparently peeled away.
Police Chief Tony Clemmons posted on the department’s Facebook page asking people to pray for several families in town.
The city school system announced on Facebook that First Baptist Church of Geneva was opening its sanctuary, and ministers and counselors would be available to students and families.
Geneva County Coroner Donny Adkinson said the tragedy was ‘just awful’.
None of the girls’ families have yet made a public statement. The two girls who were injured have not been named.
The one who was seriously hurt was airlifted from the scene. She is expected to make a full recovery.
It remains unclear who was driving and what caused the car to lose control. Cassidy is shown, right, and Emilee is shown, left
Social media photographs uploaded by the girls suggest Emilee was friends with both of the other girls who died. She is shown with Cassidy
Addyson and Emilee. The local school district is offering counseling now to help students mourn their deaths