Four children have been killed in a horror accident after a car plowed through an after-school clinic.
A female driver in a Jeep drove straight through the YNOT Outdoors Summer and After School Camp in Chatham, Illinois, on Monday about 3.20pm.
Police have not yet released the ages of each of the victims yet, but did say they’re all aged between four and 18.
Reports from the scene suggest the driver failed a field sobriety test. She was pictured in handcuffs, with her hair in a messy bun and wearing a dark gray t-shirt.
Three of the victims were hit by the black Jeep as they stood outside the building, while the fourth person who died was inside the building, authorities said.
Six others were rushed to hospital, including one who had to be airlifted for treatment.
The car is understood to have crashed into the east side of the building with such force that it came out the other side.
The driver was uninjured in the horror incident, but was taken to hospital for evaluation.
The car drove straight through the YNOT Outdoors Summer and After School Camp in Chatham, Illinois , on Monday about 3.20pm
The driver was uninjured in the horror incident, but was taken to hospital for evaluation
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker issued a statement on Monday afternoon, writing: ‘Parents said goodbye to their kids this morning not knowing it would be the last time.
‘Our community lost a group of bright and innocent young people with their whole lives ahead of them.
‘Let’s wrap our arms around the community tonight as we receive updates on the situation.’
Horrified locals have recalled the moment their neighbors, friends and loved ones learned of the tragedy and rushed to the scene.
One wrote: ‘Watching people you know sprint past your house, not knowing if their children are safe, is a gut-wrenching experience. My heart aches for everyone.’
Illinois Senator Doris Turner also issued a statement, saying she is ‘heartbroken’ by the tragedy.
‘When we drop our kids off in the morning, we should always have the utmost belief that they will come home safely at the end of the day,’ she wrote.
The car drove straight through the YNOT Outdoors Summer and After School Camp in Chatham, Illinois , on Monday about 3.20pm
The building had extensive damage as police assessed the scene on Monday afternoon
‘For some families, that belief was shaken today following the tragedy at Y.N.O.T. in Chatham.
‘I am heartbroken — there truly are no words to explain what the Chatham community is feeling and will feel for days, weeks and months to come.
‘I want to thank the first responders, law enforcement and volunteers.’ The local Chick-Fil-A has offered all first responders a free meal today and tomorrow in response to the tragedy.
YNOT is a summer and after school camp – offering three hours of care for busy parents with little ones.
It is staffed by college students and ‘very mature high-school seniors’ – most of whom have ambitions themselves of one day becoming educators.
The Chatham Baptist Church has become the makeshift reunification point for families who have children at YNOT.
This is a breaking news story. More to come.
