Nine family members, including six children, who were killed in a 'catastrophic' SUV crash had been on their way home from a family matriarch's 80th birthday party when the vehicle overturned into a canal
Tragedy struck after a weekend full of joy and dance at an 80-year-old family matriarch's disco-themed birthday bash, where generations came together to honor her special day.
What began as memories made amongst tie-dye and peace signs ended in heartbreak when an SUV with 10 relatives inside skidded off the roads of South Florida and plunged into a canal, resulting in the death of nine loved ones, including six children.
Patricia Edwards was the life of the disco party, celebrating her 80th surrounded by family members who had traveled from far and wide to boogie down in celebration, as seen on social media. In a moving Facebook post, her daughter Pamela Wiggins thanked those who joined the festivity: "Just wanted to say (thank you) to all my family that traveled to Florida for my mom's 80th bday party."
Texas man 'stabs bystander, steals cars, runs over drivers' in horror rampage during multicar crash
Texas man dead in first Tesla Cybertruck crash after veered off-road for 'unknown reason' and caught fire
“My mom really enjoyed herself and I will post pictures later,” Pamela wrote just after midnight on Monday. “(L)ove you all.”
But Pamela never got the chance to share the photos. She was declared dead less than eight hours later along with eight other family members when their 2023 Ford Explorer veered off a rural stretch of Hatton Highway near Belle Glade and flipped upside down into a roadside canal.
Four individuals were declared dead at the scene, and another five succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. The deceased have been named as: Leiana Alyse Hall, 30; Anyia Monique Lee Tucker, 21; Michael Anthony Hall Jr., 14; Imani Andre Ajani Hall, 8; Kamdien Edwards, 5; Yasire Smith, 5; Ziaire Mack, 3; and Naleia Tucker, 1. Meanwhile the only survivor, Jorden Rickey Hall, 26, was pulled from the wreckage and is reportedly in serious condition.
The catastrophic incident has caught the attention of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), prompting a federal investigation into the crash. NTSB board member Alvin Brown addressed the media, stating that their team reached Belle Glade by Tuesday and will be collaborating with local Palm Beach County deputies over the coming week.
A preliminary report is expected within a month. "We investigate crashes that we can learn from, that are catastrophic in nature," Brown explained. "We have the best investigators in country, we have the gold standard. And we believe that this crash was a catastrophic, tragic event, and that's why we're here."
This accident adds to the grim tally of fatalities linked to South Florida's extensive system of artificial canals and waterways, initially excavated to drain the massive marshlands of the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee. Officials from the state Department of Health and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles have indicated that their departments do not maintain specific records on deaths resulting from canal-related accidents.
Moment Las Vegas man mows down ex-boss with SUV in act of vengeance before neighbor shoots him dead
July 4 horror as 3 dead and 9 injured after truck plows into crowd celebrating at NYC park
A South Florida Sun Sentinel investigation published in 2001 uncovered that nearly a hundred individuals lost their lives when their cars plummeted into canals or water bodies across Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties during a five-year span in the late 1990s. While driving west on a two-lane road in a secluded portion of the county, amidst endless fields of sugarcane and alongside agricultural canals at the roadsides, Pamela lost control of her vehicle, investigators say.
The crash report detailed how Pamela missed a left turn as the road veered southward, causing her car to smash into a guardrail and flip over into the canal below. This area, close to Lake Okeechobee and roughly 40 miles (65 kilometers) away from the pristine beaches of Palm Beach island, is a stark contrast, with vast fields of sugarcane defining the region instead of palm trees.
"The landscape out there is predominately rural, predominantly agricultural. It's honestly not dissimilar to most of the rural agricultural areas throughout the rest of the country," Eric Dumbaugh, head of a Florida Atlantic University-based road safety center in Palm Beach County, remarked on the setting.
Dumbaugh revealed that crashes on deserted highways tend to unfold in a predictable manner, where drivers slip into "highway hypnosis" from driving on a long, straight, and often poorly lit road until an unexpected curve appears. "And then all of a sudden there's a sharp turn," he said.
"There's often not much shoulder there, so when you run off the roadway, you run into whatever happens to be on the side of it. Which could be a tree, right? It could be a ditch. Or in the case of Palm Beach County, oftentimes it's a canal."
As for the victim's relatives, the magnitude of the tragedy is just beginning to take hold; only days before, they were marking a significant family event. "I keep saying it's a nightmare," a relative named Dawn Wiggins-Ely divulged on Facebook. "Lord we need you."
