Baby Killed, 3 Hurt When Van Overturns

A 6-month-old boy was killed Monday when the van in which he was riding rolled over on the Antelope Valley Freeway, throwing him and three siblings from the vehicle, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The van was driven by the baby’s mother, Bertha Valdiva, 37, of Rosamond. It was traveling north on an inside lane when it careened from the roadway and turned sharply into the median, CHP Officer Scott Weldy said.

The child was reportedly strapped into an infant seat buckled into a middle seat of the van. He was ejected while still in the infant seat, which flew off its base, Weldy said.

Three other children were also injured: A 4-year-old boy, and 8- and 13-year-old girls. CHP investigators are trying to determine if the three children were wearing seat belts, Weldy said. Valdiva and a 17-year-old daughter were belted in the front seat and were not ejected from the van.

The 4-year-old and the 8-year-old were taken to Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles. The boy was listed in serious condition with a skull fracture; the girl was listed in fair condition with facial lacerations, a hospital spokesman said.

The 13-year-old, who suffered head injuries, was flown to Antelope Valley Hospital, where she is listed in critical condition. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.