Child Killed When Van Flips; Parents Injured

An 8-month-old boy was killed and his parents and grandparents were injured when their van flipped over on the Antelope Valley Freeway on Sunday afternoon, police said.

The crash occurred about 3:30 p.m. in the northbound lanes, just north of Crown Valley Road, said California Highway Patrol Officer Karen Faciane.

The unidentified boy was airlifted by rescue helicopter to Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 4:15 p.m., Faciane said.

The van, a 1995 Chevrolet, was traveling north at approximately 65 mph when a ball joint on the front axle broke, Faciane said.

The van ran into the center divider and rolled over two or three times, she said.

The child’s mother, 23, and father, 32, were sitting on a back seat and were ejected, Faciane said. The couple are from Lancaster, Faciane said.

The driver, a 46-year-old man, and front passenger were identified as the grandfather and grandmother of the child. Both are from West Covina.

The names of the victims were not released.

Two of the adults were taken to Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center, and the other two to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, Faciane said. The extent of their injuries was unknown late Sunday, she said.

The CHP closed the northbound lanes on the freeway for three hours after the accident, Faciane said.