A young boy remained beside his mother for 12 hours after she tragically died in a car accident. The crash resulted in their vehicle falling off an embankment.
The incident occurred as the seven-year-old and his mother were traveling back to their home in Tollhouse from a friend’s house. Tollhouse is an unincorporated community located in the Sierra Nevada, about a 40-minute drive from Fresno, California.
The accident happened on Saturday, February 1, as they were driving along Highway 168. According to the California Highway Patrol, the mother lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the embankment and roll 200 feet to the bottom—a distance roughly equivalent to two-thirds the height of the Statue of Liberty.
Authorities suspect that neither the mother nor her son were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
Their family reported them missing after they failed to arrive home around midnight as expected. By 8:45 a.m. the following day, February 2, they were still unaccounted for.
Sadly, the boy’s mother passed away shortly after the crash. The boy remained with her even after her death.
The two were eventually discovered when a motorist reported seeing a child walking alone along the highway.
California Highway Patrol officer John Marsh explained to KSFN that the vehicle was “basically sitting in a grove of trees, covered and not visible from the highway.”
A first responder mentioned that the child was in a car seat that he did not fall out of during the accident.
The boy was taken to the hospital to treat several injuries, including a broken arm.
An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the accident, including whether alcohol played a role.
This incident follows another tragedy on the same highway three months prior, where 16-year-old Trevyn Mackey died in a single-vehicle crash.
The Clovis West student crashed into a boulder about two miles east of Sample Road. Trevyn was taken to the hospital, but unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries. A GoFundMe page had been set up to help with his medical expenses.
Following his passing, Trevyn’s mother expressed her gratitude on the GoFundMe page: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I am sending this message. Thank you friends and family for the love and support.
“Unfortunately, Trevyn’s injuries were too much for him to fight any longer. He took his last breaths this morning, surrounded by his family. 4T4L I love you Rev you have left a gaping hole in my life.”