HOLLAND TWP., MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – Efforts to help a family suffering the loss of three children following a traffic incident on Holland’s North Side Thursday morning is underway.
According to Ottawa County Sheriff’s Sergeant Matthew Wildfong, deputies and other first responders were dispatched to James Street west of 112th Avenue shortly after 11:00 a.m.. “The vehicle had been driving west on James when it veered off of the road on the south side,” Wildfong said in a department statement. “The vehicle hit a curb and rolled over into a pond. Upon arrival, it was found that three children (boys aged 1, 3 and 4) were trapped inside of the vehicle, while the driver (a 30-year-old Holland Township woman) had been able to get out of the vehicle on her own.
“Multiple deputies and members of the Holland Township Fire Department entered the water to try and get the trapped victims out of the vehicle. The winches on the front of the fire trucks were used to stabilize the SUV to assist with rescue attempts.”
The children, Jerome, Jeremiah and Josiah Gonzales, were taken to undisclosed area hospitals, with the older two pronounced deceased at those locations, and the one-year-old succumbing to his injuries overnight. The driver was also injured, but Wildfong made no immediate mention as to her condition.
He did say that she had been buckled up, and the youths were in approved child safety seats at the time of the incident, which remains under investigation.
On Friday, officials of GoFundMe announced that the youngsters’ aunt had set up an effort to raise money for the family. As of 4:00 p.m. Friday, over $23,000 raised, far exceeding their $10,000 goal.
(reporting from Gary Stevens)
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