TEPETITAN, El Salvador (AP) — Parents, siblings, and other relatives of a Salvadoran family of eight are grappling with unimaginable loss following a fiery crash involving a semitrailer and their van in Georgia on Monday. The collision led to the death of 42-year-old Maribel Ramírez, her five children, and her pregnant daughter’s husband and child. The van erupted in flames as the family was headed to a local mall.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, Kane Aaron Hammock, has been charged with eight counts of second-degree vehicular homicide and second-degree feticide by vehicle, among other offenses.
Back in El Salvador, family members struggle to comprehend the loss of a family who had built a new life in the U.S. after Maribel emigrated nearly twenty years ago. It’s something painful that we’re living through, her sister, Carmen Gavidia Ramírez, said amidst tears upon learning of the tragedy.
Gavidia shared memories of her sister Maribel, who arrived in the U.S. seeking better opportunities and eventually brought her family over. Now, as they navigate the daunting process of repatriating the bodies, the family is hopeful for support from the Salvadoran government. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to aid with the significant costs involved, reflecting the community’s desire to honor the lives lost.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, Kane Aaron Hammock, has been charged with eight counts of second-degree vehicular homicide and second-degree feticide by vehicle, among other offenses.
Back in El Salvador, family members struggle to comprehend the loss of a family who had built a new life in the U.S. after Maribel emigrated nearly twenty years ago. It’s something painful that we’re living through, her sister, Carmen Gavidia Ramírez, said amidst tears upon learning of the tragedy.
Gavidia shared memories of her sister Maribel, who arrived in the U.S. seeking better opportunities and eventually brought her family over. Now, as they navigate the daunting process of repatriating the bodies, the family is hopeful for support from the Salvadoran government. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to aid with the significant costs involved, reflecting the community’s desire to honor the lives lost.
