Tragedy as pregnant mother, 25, and her two children are killed in Texas highway smash after she lost control of her car and spun into on-coming traffic
A pregnant mother and her two children were killed on Monday in a car crash in Texas, after she lost control of her car and spun into on-coming traffic.
Brittany Counts, 25, her seven-year-old son Wyatt Mask and daughter Preslee Mask, four, were killed at around 12:35 p.m. in Parker County on a Texas state highway.
The report - obtained by People Magazine - states that Counts 'failed to control her speed and took evasive action moving to the left to try and avoid' a pickup truck. while driving on Highway 199.
Unable to avoid hitting 2017 GMC pickup truck, the mother's 2007 Ford Edge spun 'clockwise into the westbound lane of travel where it was struck by a 2016 Ford F-150 pickup,' the report said.
Brittany Counts , 25, her son Wyatt Mask (far-right), 7, and daughter Preslee Mask , 4, were killed when her car spun out of control and was hit by an on-coming vehicle
'The collision killed the 25-year-old driver and two juvenile passengers, ages seven and four, who were inside the Edge.' The driver of the Ford F-150 was taken to hospital with undisclosed injuries, the statement added.
In the wake of the tragedy, Counts' fiancé Dillon Latta posted a photo of the couple together on his Facebook page, revealing that they had been expecting a daughter together this spring.
'Your the love of my life. Our baby girl was due in May ... God please help me through this I don't know what to do,' he wrote.
Stephen Winkler, Latta's brother-in-law set up a fundraiser for funeral expenses on Facebook which quickly raised over the $20,000 target - reaching over 25,800 as of Friday when the fundraiser had ended, with 442 people having donated.
'Today was a tragic day for our family, my brother in law Dillon Latta lost his fiance Brittany Counts, his unborn daughter Paislee Denise Latta, and his seven year old step son Wyatt Mask and seven year old step daughter Preslee Mask in a tragic car accident in Springtown Tx,' Winkler wrote in the description.
He added, 'Due to the sudden loss and unexpected funeral expenses any help would be greatly appreciated during this families time of need.'
Both on the fundraising page and on Latta's post, tributes from the couple's friends came pouring in for Counts and her children - whom she shared with a different father to Latta.
In the wake of the tragedy, Counts' fiancé Dillon Latta posted a photo of the couple together on his Facebook page along with a tribute to his partner and children. His post also said that the couple were expecting a child when Counts was killed in the accident
'What a tragedy. I was so shocked to hear of your unexpected loss yesterday. I am so sad and still trying to accept it,' one well wisher wrote.
'She was a beautiful mother and had beautiful children. They will all be missed greatly by all of us who knew her. My thoughts and prayers for the family and for all involved in this tragedy.'
Another said: 'I know there's not a thing anyone could say to take away your heartache but I wanted to say that you're forever in my prayers and that I am incredibly sorry for your loss.'
In a second post to Facebook, Latta posted more pictures of the couple together.
'Brittany was the definition of "ride or die" she was here for me when I was going through some of the hardest times in my life. She showed me what unconditional love is. Her and Wyatt and Preslee mean the world to me and my family,' he wrote.
'To our daughter I'll never get to hold. I know your beautiful just like your mom and sister,' he added. 'A huge part of me is gone forever and I don't know what to do.'