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An expectant mother, her husband, and their three-year-old daughter have been confirmed as the victims in Tuesday’s fatal multi-car crash with a semi-truck.

Thirty-four-year-old Melissa Hudson, her husband Schon – also 34, and their 3-year-old daughter Emerie died after the Jeep they were in, collided with a truck.

The Preble County Sheriff’s department says that evidence found at the scene, along with witness accounts, indicate the semi ran a red light at the intersection, hitting the Jeep.

Friends say that Melissa was 16 weeks pregnant with the couple’s baby boy.

The woman leaves behind two daughters – fourth and sixth graders at West Elkton intermediate school.

Melissa worked as a substitute teacher in the district, and also headed the local parent teacher organization.

Pastor Greg Jackson of First Southern Baptist Church says the community is still reeling from the tragic incident.

“It’s a hard day here in Camden,” Jackson said.

“The wife was very active in the elementary schools. She will be greatly missed. The teachers are grieving today.”

Jackson said that his church met with teachers this morning. They all shared prayers and memories of a woman who Jackson said was well-liked by colleagues and students.

“They loved her. She was recently involved in the eclipse, the glasses and things like that through the PTA,” he said. “They’re really grieving.”

Liberty White, a family friend, described the family as “joyful” and “vibrant”. She said that young Emerie was “one of the most beautiful little babies.”

Preble Shawnee Superintendent Matt Bishop said the entire community is grieving their loss.

“It’s tragic for the family, tragic for the kids that are left behind. I just know that the school and the community is going to do everything they can to support that family,” Bishop said.

“It was a shock and profound sadness this morning. I was at Camden Elementary [where] we had a staff meeting before the kids arrived, and there were a lot of tears. It was really emotional.”

Jackson said this tight knit community will find solace in each other and their faith.

“When the bottom of life falls out like this, there’s only one place to turn and that’s to the Lord,” Jackson said. “And that’s our prayer, that through this – somehow – something good will come out of it.”

A fundraiser has been set up to raise money for the Hudson family’s funeral expenses.

Toddler Was Not In Car Seat When Car Crashed On Wildcat Pike

Doss and the toddler were both ejected from the car, Shearer said.

Doss was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt and Rinehart was not in a child safety seat, he said.

Both were taken by ambulance to Marion General Hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Shearer said.

Doss was then taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center in Columbus and Rinehart to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

A spokesperson at Nationwide said that the toddler had been discharged. A spokesperson at Grant was not able to provide Doss’ condition.

As a parent, your sole goal is to keep your kids safe at all times. This is true whether they are eating dinner, playing outside with friends or in the car on the way to school or to a play date. What are some tactics that you can use to keep them safe while on the road?

Make Sure That They Are Properly Secured

The best way to keep your children safe while in the car is to keep them properly secured. This can be done by making sure that anyone under the age of 12 sits in the backseat and away from any airbags that the car may have. If your children are under the age of 8 or are under 50 pounds, you should use a booster seat to keep them properly secured while in a vehicle.

Have A Reliable Car

While there are steps that you can take to keep your kid’s safe while on the road, nothing you do can protect them from a faulty vehicle. Therefore, make sure that you have a late model vehicle with anti-lock brakes and other features that will either prevent an accident or keep them safe if one occurs. New cars now come with backup cameras, emergency braking and lane assist to reduce the odds that you get into a crash. If you are unsure which car would be best for your family’s needs, visit a dealer like Bay Ridge Nissan and see what the professionals would suggest.

Focus On The Road

One of the easiest ways to get into an accident is to allow passengers to distract you. Therefore, you should make sure that your kids are quiet and keeping their hands to themselves. All it takes is one glance away from the road to answer a question or stop a fight to either run off the road or rear end another vehicle.

Let Road Conditions Dictate Your Speed

If there is ice or snow on the road, you should increase your following distance and decrease your speed. The same is true if it is raining or if roads are under construction. If you live in a part of the country that experiences snowy or icy conditions on a regular basis, it may be a good idea to have snow tires put on your car.

Your children should be your most prized possession and top priority in life. Therefore, it is important that you drive safely and only use reliable transportation when taking them to school, on family trips or anywhere else you need to take them.

 

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