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Two Vehicle crash takes 5 year old girl’s life

A young girl was killed in a two-car vehicle accident that took place at 151st Street and Harlem Avenue on Thursday evening around 9:30 pm in what witnesses described as snowy conditions.

The accident damage to the two vehicles involved was described as extensive by Orland Fire Protection District emergency medical technicians who responded to the scene.

Fire officials said that both cars were large passenger SUVs, one driven Southbound on Harlem Avenue by a father and is two teenage daughters, and another driven by a father and his two young daughters.

The Southbound vehicle hit the northbound vehicle as it was turning West onto 151st Street. Paramedics at the scene said that one of the girls, 5 years of age, who was in the vehicle that was struck was in extremely serious condition. She was taken to Christ Hospital where she died after 40 minutes of attempted resuscitation. Her father and sister were also taken to Christ Hospital where they were initially treated and sent to another hospital for specialized medical care.

The Cook County Medical Examiner identified the girl who died as Evelyn Thomas, of the 9000 block of 140th Street in Orland Park.

Debris from the accident struck a snow plow that was behind the left-turning vehicle and a third vehicle. Both the driver of the snow plow and the 3rd vehicle stopped to help until paramedics arrived. (The driver of the 3rd vehicle reportedly had an EMT logo on his shirt and may have had emergency medical training.)

All of the passengers were reported as wearing seat belts and the young girls were properly belted in booster seats at the time of the accident.

The door of the vehicle that was turning and struck on its side was torn off. Firefighters at the scene reported that the vehicle that had been struck also had a small fire as a result of the accident that was quickly extinguished.

Orland Park Police are assessing the causes of the accident. The names of the individuals involved in the accident, were not immediately available.