A tragic crash in Madera County claimed the lives of three siblings over the weekend after their family’s minivan ran a stop sign and collided with a semi-truck, authorities said.
Family members identified the victims as 6-year-old Serenity Valenzuela, 15-year-old James Valle, and 17-year-old Jezzy Valle.
“They were all cheerful and always full of life, just smiling,” their cousin, Benny Ramirez Jr., said.
The collision happened Saturday evening at Avenue 7 and Road 24, where a growing memorial of flowers and balloons now honors the children.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), a 48-year-old woman was driving the minivan with her three children and their grandmother when she failed to stop at the intersection. An oncoming semi-truck slammed into the vehicle.
The CHP confirmed that drugs and alcohol were not factors in the crash.
Investigators said the children were wearing their seatbelts incorrectly, strapped only across their laps.
“As a driver, pay attention to the road and you are also responsible for all the passengers in your vehicle,” CHP Officer Sergio Moreno said. “They have to be wearing seatbelts, especially the little ones.”
Relatives described the driver — the children’s mother — as a devoted single mom who centered her life around her kids.
“Her whole life was around the kids because she was a single mother. That was her thing: worrying about taking care of her kids. That was her main priority,” Ramirez said.
The family had left his home just a quarter mile away minutes before the collision.
“We heard a big bang, they went to go check and we realized she had been involved in an accident,” he recalled.
Both drivers and the grandmother survived but suffered injuries.
Loved ones say the rural crossing is known for deadly crashes due to limited warning signs.
“There’s no signs right there saying stop ahead until you get to the stop sign,” Ramirez explained.
The family has launched a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral and related expenses.
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