Mother and her 3 young children killed in Brampton crash, police watchdog investigating

A 37-year-old Caledon woman and her three daughters, ages one, four, and six,are dead after acrash in Brampton on Thursday, with the investigation now in the hands of Ontario's police watchdog.

A Preliminary investigation indicates that shortly after noon, a Peel RegionalPolice officer was travelling westbound on Countryside Drivewhen he observed an Infinititravelling eastbound, according to Monica Hudon, spokesperson for the Special Investigations Unit (SIU).

Moments later, the Infiniti crashed into aVolkswagen Atlas SUVtravelling north on Torbram Road, which struck a light pole.

Inside was a mother and her three children. The six-year-oldwas pronounced dead at the scene.

The other family members were transported to Brampton Civic Hospital, where the mother and her four-year-old daughter were pronounced dead. The one-year-oldwas then taken from Brampton Civic to the Hospital for Sick Children, where she later died.

A 20-year-old man, who was travelling in a blue Infiniti, is in hospital in critical condition. The SIU says he was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

A Honda CRV and another vehicle were also damaged in the crash.

The SIU, whichis called when there are deaths, serious injuries or allegations of sexual assault in cases involving police, invoked its mandate to investigate soon afterwards.

Hudon would not say whether a police chase was underway before the crash, or what transpired in the moments leading up to it.

The SIU says seven investigators and one collision reconstructionist have been assigned to the case.