A carjacking suspect blew through a stop sign Saturday and crushed a pickup with the five kids and their parents. The mother and father survived Saturday's accident at the intersection of Avenue 424 and Road 120, near Orosi, California. The children's' parents, Carols and Jennifer Salazar are listed in critical condition at Community Regional Medical Center.
Family members said both parents are in a lot of pain, and Jennifer is in and out of consciousness. They also told stories about the kids and how the family is coping through this tragedy.
Tears and sorrow at a memorial in Tulare County Sunday night as friends, family and even strangers gathered to remember the Salazar siblings, 8-year-old Carlos Jr., 7-year-old Jocelyn, 4 year-old Monique, 2-year-old Michael, and 1-year-old Sienna.
The five brothers and sisters from Orange Cove died Saturday in a horrific crash. They were heading to 8-year-old Carlos Jr.'s football game, when a Dodge Neon ran a stop sign, slamming into their pickup truck.
The stolen Neon was being pursued by Dinuba Police. The crash killed three unidentified men in the car, all five siblings and sent their parents, Carlos and Jennifer Salazar to the hospital.
The Children's grandmother Volanda Guerra said, "Those kids were well loved and well taken care of. They explored life to the fullest and I want people to know that. They had a wonderful loving family."
Volanda and other family members describe the kids as happy angels who were taken too soon. "I think they were just too good for this world and god took them home."
"Auntie's coming, and they would run outside when they would hear us...all of them. And now it's just silent. There's no more," said Lupe Quezada, the children's aunt.
The victims' family credits their strength to their faith and each other. They said Saturday's crash is a nightmare; one they'll relive every day.
None of the Salazar kids were in seat belts or car seats when the crash happened. But family members said except for Saturday, they usually travelled in the family van, which is equipped with car seats.
As for funeral arrangements, they are still pending.
