5 family members ages 8 to 17 killed in Scarsdale, Westchester County crash
SCARSDALE, Westchester County (WABC) -- Five young family members lost their lives when their vehicle struck a tree in Scarsdale, Westchester County early Sunday.
A 9-year-old boy was the only survivor.
The family tells Eyewitness News that the six siblings and cousins were heading to Derby, Connecticut from a mall when their Nissan Rogue veered off the Hutchinson River Parkway in Scarsdale just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday.
The car hit a tree north of the Mamaroneck Road exit and burst into flames, officials said.
Westchester County Police believe the vehicle was being driven by a 16-year-old boy and may have fallen asleep.
The five who were killed were between the ages of eight and 17, authorities said.
The 9-year-old was "apparently riding in the rear hatchback/cargo area and escaped out the rear," according to a statement provided by the Westchester County Police Department.
The boy was taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
Matt Conway, the superintendent of schools in Derby, Connecticut, said he learned the children were part of a family that recently moved to the New Haven County community from New York but had not enrolled in the district. Conway said he reached out to the father on Sunday and offered to provide him information about available supports in the community for him and his family. He planned to talk with the father again on Monday.
"It's the unimaginable. Having to now make arrangements for five of your children to be buried is a very difficult thing for anyone - one child, never mind five that you're going to have to now make arrangements for," Conway said.
Derby is roughly 50 miles (80 km) north of Scarsdale.
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Some information from the Associated Press
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