Crash takes lives of 3 boys, ages 6, 4, 1, and their pregnant mother south of Chicago



JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — A 6-year-old boy has become the latest member of a northern Illinois family to die as a result of a traffic crash that killed his pregnant mother and two brothers.

Will County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said Owen Schmidt was pronounced dead at 2:39 a.m. Thursday, July 27th. He and his brother were put into medical induced comas after Tuesday's accident in the community of Beecher, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Chicago. On Wednesday, that brother, four-year-old Weston Schmidt, died.



The boys' mother, Lindsey Schmidt, who was four months pregnant, and their one-year-old brother Kaleb, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Hoffmeyer says the driver of the pickup truck that slammed into the Schmidt's vehicle was issued a traffic citation but that investigators are trying to determine if criminal charges should be filed. They're examining his cellphone to see whether he was texting at the time of the crash, WGN reports. Hoffmeyer says he remains hospitalized after suffering a fractured wrist, shoulder and ankle, bruised lungs and a lacerated arm.