CLIMAX TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office is investigating a tragic accident that occurred on Sunday during severe storms, leaving three children dead.
According to Sheriff Richard Fuller, the incident happened around 5:45 p.m. on East S Avenue near 47th Street in Climax Township. A large tree fell onto a minivan, causing devastating damage.
"The tree, being as large as it was, went deep into the vehicle, and actually, it was such a large tree that it came across two lanes of traffic and out the other side of the vehicle for about 12 more feet," Sheriff Fuller said.
The victims were a 2-year-old child, their 4-year-old sibling, and their 11-year-old cousin. Two parents and another child were hospitalized for their injuries.
Sheriff Fuller stated that at the time of the accident, there was lightning and high winds in the area, leaving the vehicle unable to avoid the falling tree.
" Ultimately, this came very suddenly and fell right behind the driver's door and across the passenger area where all the children were seated," he said.
The family is from Branch County and was traveling to visit relatives in the area. Sheriff Fuller expressed condolences to the grieving family.
"There's, there is no standing up to this tree, given the volume of the tree, the weight of the tree, and where it struck. There's no vehicle that would stand up to this," he added.
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