A mother and her two daughters died early Sunday morning in a three-vehicle collision on Highway 99 in Bakersfield, California. The fiery crash occurred around 12:40 a.m. in Kern County when one vehicle, traveling in a southbound lane, collided with two other vehicles.
The impact caused immediate flames, and all three women in one of the vehicles were pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators have not yet determined which vehicle was traveling in the wrong direction, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
While authorities have not officially identified the victims, a close family member, Dave Scholetter, named them in a GoFundMe post as Vanessa, the mother, and her daughters Kloie and Kylie. The family had been attending a concert at the Save Mart Center in Fresno.
Kloie was reportedly celebrating her upcoming 17th birthday, a date she shared with her younger brother, who was set to turn 16 on August 20th. "What should have been a weekend filled with memories and a celebration of Kloie turning 17 has instead left a family trying to comprehend the loss of a mother and her two daughters all at once," Scholetter wrote.
Kylie and Kloie both attended Centennial High School in Bakersfield. The school's softball team paid tribute to Kloie on social media, stating her presence on and off the field would never be forgotten. A similar tribute was posted for Kylie.
The GoFundMe campaign aims to cover funeral and memorial expenses and to support Vanessa's surviving son. As of Thursday, the campaign had raised over $65,000 toward its $75,000 goal.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash. The investigation is ongoing. The BMW driver involved in the collision was transported to the hospital with severe injuries, while the driver of the Chevrolet pickup truck sustained minor injuries.
Anyone with information or who witnessed the accident is asked to contact the California Highway Patrol Bakersfield Area office at 661-396-6600.