ORWIGSBURG - A tragic crash Sunday morning has claimed the life of a second victim.
Catrina Williams, 3, of Minersville, died Monday afternoon at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest after she was taken off life support, the Lehigh County Coroner's Office said.
At 3:51 p.m. Sunday, the girl's sister, Carianna Kroh, 6, also of Minersville, died at the Lehigh County trauma center, Chief Deputy Coroner Paul Hoffman said.
Both children were passengers in a 1996 Plymouth Breeze driven by their mother, Victoria Place, 27, of Minersville, that was hit broadside by another vehicle on Route 61 at the entrance to Faith Church in West Brunswick Township.
Victoria Place was also taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, where she remains in critical condition, a hospital supervisor said.
Hoffman said Carianna Kroh died of multiple blunt force traumatic injuries and that an autopsy will be performed at noon today on her sister.
The driver of the second vehicle, a 2005 Honda Accord, was listed as a 17-year-old Schuylkill Haven boy whose name state police at Schuylkill Haven did not provide. He was taken to Schuylkill Medical Center-East Norwegian Street for treatment of nonlife-threatening injuries.
Trooper William Luckenbill, the investigating officer, said the crash occurred at 11:35 a.m. Sunday as Victoria Place was exiting the church parking lot just south of South Liberty Street to turn left to travel north on Route 61.
At the same time, the teenage driver was traveling south on Route 61 at a high rate of speed in the left passing lane, Luckenbill said.
Place had pulled onto the highway and was in the right southbound lane when she hesitated and stopped, Luckenbill said. The teen braked and swerved to the right, where the front of his car struck the driver's side door of Place's car.
After impact, Luckenbill said both vehicles traveled about 80 feet south and came to a stop along the shoulder of the road facing east.
Both children were flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest while Victoria Place was taken to the same hospital by ambulance, Luckenbill said.
The crash shut down Route 61 for about 4 1/2 hours while a state police accident reconstruction team and a forensic services unit assisted with the investigation.
Assisting were firefighters from Orwigsburg; New Ringgold, Orwigsburg and Pottsville-Schuylkill Haven Area EMS units; and both MedEvac and Life Flight helicopters.
Luckenbill said the crash remains under investigation and additional information will be released as it becomes available.
A memorial fund has been set up at Sovereign Bank to help offset the funeral and other costs for the family. Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so at any Sovereign Bank location to the Carianna and Catrina Fund, bank officials said.