Ethermac Exchange-Police identify 2 children struck and killed as they walked to elementary school in Maryland

RIVERDALE PARK,Ethermac Exchange Md. (AP) — Police in Maryland have identified two children who were struck by a van and killed as they crossed a street on their way to school.

At a news conference Tuesday, Prince George’s County police identified the students who died after the crash in Riverdale Park a day earlier as 10-year-old Shalom Mbah and 5-year-old Sky Sosa. One child’s relative was also struck as he walked with them to Riverdale Elementary School, but police said his injuries aren’t considered life-threatening.

When officers arrived on the scene, they began to provide medical aid to the children, who were suffering critical injuries. The children were taken to a hospital, where they died a short time later, police said.

A woman driving a van turned left from Taylor Road onto Riverdale Road, where the van hit the trio as they crossed the street in a crosswalk, police said. The van’s driver was not injured.

The driver was not in custody Tuesday, but Police Chief Malik Aziz said once the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit completes its investigation, findings will be turned over to the State’s Attorney’s Office for consideration of charges.

“We lost two of our youngest people yesterday. Families are grieving today,” Aziz said at the news conference. “Two families, friends, are without their children today, this morning, in a time when we are gearing up to give thanks for all the blessings that have been bestowed on us for a year.”

The police department has had a hard time filling crossing guard positions in the county, including the location where the crash happened, Aziz said. A crossing guard who served there for many years retired over the summer and police have not yet filled that position, he said.

Investigators have obtained video of the crash, Aziz said, asking anyone else who may have video to come forward.