Accidents claim the lives of 7 LDS youth: 'Everybody ... was grieving'
Seven LDS teenagers were killed in two separate accidents on Oct. 15, three from the community of Covered Bridge in Utah County, and four from southern Alberta, Canada.
According to an article in the Calgary Herald, the four Canadian LDS teens — Jorden Miller, 14; Danae Gough, 14; Renzo Dainard, 16 and Clay Card, 16 — were killed in a single vehicle rollover crash. Royal Canadian Mounted Police think the accident took place late Saturday night, Oct. 15; the vehicle was found early Oct. 16 submerged in a creek. The teens were from the Magrath Alberta Stake.
"Everybody in church [Sunday] was grieving, sad, distraught over the accident," Magrath Mayor Russ Barnett said in an interview with CBC news. "There wasn't a dry eye from the youth all the way up to the grandmas and grandpas in the whole congregation. It was just a very sad day in our community."
In Utah, three LDS young women — two of whom were sisters — Essa Ricker, 15; Kelsea Webster, 15, and Savannah Webster, 13, died from injuries sustained from a train accident the afternoon of Oct. 15. The three were from the Canyon Ward, Spanish Fork Utah Canyon View Stake.
They were taking photos on the railroad tracks Saturday afternoon when they were caught in between two trains.
"It's very devastating," said President Bruce Hiskey, of the Spanish Fork Utah Canyon View Stake. "These are vibrant, good young women. They were having a beautiful time on a beautiful fall day, and it's just a tragedy this happened."
Essa and Kelsea died instantly. Kelsea's sister, Savannah "Savvy" Webster, was taken to Primary Children's Medical Center, where she remained in extremely critical condition until she died as a result of her injuries Tuesday evening, Oct. 18. Savannah and Kelsea moved to Covered Bridge from Sonora, Calif., about two months ago.
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