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Mother of children killed in Vaughan crash says 'it's the worst nightmare'

A woman whose three children and father died in a horrific vehicle crash north of Toronto yesterday says she learned about the fatal collision when she saw a picture of her van on TV while waiting for her parents and children to return home.

Jennifer Neville-Lake says she learned about the fatal collision when she saw a picture of her van on TV

Siblings Daniel 9, Milly, 2, and Harry, 5., died when the minivan they were travelling in was hit by an SUV north of Toronto Sunday. Their grandfather also died. A 29-year-old man faces 18 charges in relation to the crash, including impaired driving causing death. (Facebook)

A woman whose three children and father died in a horrific vehicle crash north of Toronto yesterday says she learned about the fatal collision when she saw a picture of her van on TV while waiting for her parents and children to return home.

Jennifer Neville-Lake, speaking totelevision stationCP24, saidher mother was driving theminivanwith her grandmother, father, and three children inside. The van collided with a black SUV at the intersection of Kirby Road and Kipling Avenue north ofKleinburgjust after 4 p.m. ETSunday.

A man faces 18 charges in relation to the crash, includingimpaireddriving and dangerousdrivingcausing death.

A memorial started on Monday outside of the Neville-Lake home in Brampton to pay tribute to those killed in Sunday's crash. (Shannon Martin/CBC)
Neville-Lake said her parents had been late coming home with her kids Sunday, and they were not answering theircellphones. After seeing the image of her van on television, she called her husband home from work and they went to the police station, where she was told what had happened.

"It's, like, the worst nightmare,"she said. "As a daughter, as a parent to have to go through. And to know it was caused by someone's stupidity. It kills me."

She said two of her children Harry andMilly were taken to Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, where they died while holding hands. She said she has not yet been able to see the bodies of her father or her oldestson, Daniel.

Neville-Lakesaid hermother was able to say goodbyeand sang to the children before she was transferred to another hospital.

She said the autopsies are not yet complete, but they are starting to plan funerals.

'Gone home to God'

Neville-Lakesaid in a Facebook post thather loved ones"have gone home to God with my dad."

The following is a Facebookmessage posted just after 9 a.m. ET Monday by Neville-Lake to a Facebook group calledToday's Mom, which has more than 5,000 members:

The crash occurred Sunday afternoon at Kipling Avenue and Kirby Road north of Toronto. (Pascal Marchand)

"Thank you everyone. Your kind words and messages mean so much to my husband and as we sit in our sons empty room surrounded by our children's things. As you know all of my children have gone home to God with my dad. My mother and grandmother are still in the hospital. Today we hope to see our big one as we were unable to see him last night. Please keep us in your prayers. God bless."

The Neville-Lake familyis now the subject of a Go Fund Me page.The campaign has raised more than $66,000 in less than 24 hours.

Those killed were:

  • Daniel, 9.
  • Harry, 5.
  • Milly, 2.
  • The children's grandfather, 65, whose name hasn't been released yet.

Neville-Lake's mother and grandmother were also injured. Theyare recovering in hospital.

Two people riding in a third vehicle involved in the crash were not hurt.

York Regional Police are asking anyone with information about the crash to contact them at1-866-876-5423, ext. 7704.

Jennifer Neville-Lake said her mother, who was driving the minivan when the collision occurred, was able to say goodbye to two of the children in hospital before they died of their injuries. (Submitted by York Regional Police)