29 January 2024 , 11:39
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A devastated woman has recalled the moments before and after a horrific crash that killed both her sister and her niece.
Alexandra Puentes, 18, had picked up her 13-year-old- sister and 12-year-old cousin on January 26 from school near Phelan, California. Her one-year-old niece was accompanying them in the car.
They had just shared a take-out meal and were heading home when the horror wreck happened. Alexandra was trying to turn onto their street just minutes away from their house when a white van smashed into the back of their car. Emergency services rushed to the scene but Gulliana, 13, and the toddler Analia both died. They were both sitting in the back of the car when the van hit.
Alexandra and her cousin Sebastian both were badly injured in the crash and rushed to hospital. Alexandra has since been discharged but Sebastian was kept in hospital for further treatment. The van driver was unharmed in the crash.
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Gulliana in happier times (VVNG)Writing on a GoFundMe, set up to raise money for the children's funerals, Alexandra wrote: "I never drive fast especially if I have my family with me. I was getting ready to turn into my street, but there was so many cars coming from the other lane. I woke up in the hospital asking for them until ultimately they had told me that both my sister and niece had died on the scene."
She told local news site Victor Valley News: “I waited and the last thing I remember seeing was a white van heading towards us.”
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Analia died aged just one (GoFundMe)She continued: “That’s the last thing I remembered, I woke up in the hospital asking for them until ultimately they had told me that both my sister and niece had died on the scene."
She also gave a heartfelt tribute to her killed family members. She said: "Gulliana was a 13 year old girl living her best life. She always made me laugh, especially when she was playing her favourite game. She was so kind and so shy and she was my little sister."
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Gulliana died on her way back from school (GoFundMe)Describing Analia, Alexandra said: "Analia was the baby of the household. She always enjoyed dancing and playing with her toys. She loved her family especially when we come home from school , work etc."
Now Alexandra is trying to raise money to support the family and help pay for funerals. She initially hoped to raise $25,000 and has already reached that goal. She wrote: "Please help support our funeral for our babies. They didn’t deserve this."