Pit Collapses, Killing 2 Sisters Ages 9 and 12
Two girls died and one was critically injured after being buried while playing near a 20-foot-deep pit, authorities said.
Sisters Alisa Ortiz, 9, and Andrea Cavasos, 12, died on the way to the hospital Wednesday. Miranda Hernandez, 11, was listed in critical condition Thursday.
Police said five girls were playing around the pit when it collapsed. Conservation Corps workers nearby tried to pull them out.
Porterville Cemeteries District, which owns the property, uses the 150-foot-wide pit to store excess soil from a nearby cemetery. A ramp leads into the pit.
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