Mom and 2 Daughters Killed in Fiery 3-Vehicle Crash After Celebrating Teen’s Birthday at Concert

A mother and her two daughters died after being involved in a three-vehicle crash on California’s Highway 99 while returning home from a concert.
The collision occurred around 12:44 a.m. local time on Monday, Aug. 17, near Bakersfield in the state’s Central Valley region, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

One of the vehicles was traveling northbound in a southbound lane when it collided with two other vehicles, police said. They added that they had not ascertained which of the three vehicles had been traveling the wrong way, the outlet reported.
Police said the vehicle the family were riding in caught fire after the cars collided, and all three died at the scene.
According to ABC7 Bay Area, two people in one of the other cars were taken to the hospital with severe injuries, while two in the third car sustained minor injuries.
Police said they have not determined whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash amid the ongoing investigation, reported the Chronicle.
The Kern County Coroner’s Office has not formally identified the victims, but a GoFundMe set up on behalf of the family identified them as a mom named Vanessa and her daughters, Kylie and Kloie.

The trio had attended a concert featuring Thee Sacred Souls, La Lom and The Womack Sisters in the city of Fresno to celebrate Kloie’s upcoming 17th birthday, according to the Chronicle.
Kloie’s birthday would have been on Thursday, Aug. 20, according to the GoFundMe. Loved ones added that Vanessa leaves behind a son, who was turning 16 on the same day.
The page has been set up to help the family manage funeral and memorial expenses, “immediate family needs,” and support for Vanessa’s son, “as he navigates life after the unimaginable loss of his mom and sisters.”
“There are simply no words for the magnitude of this loss or for what this family is facing in the days, weeks, and months ahead,” a message on the fundraiser added.
“Vanessa, Kloie, and Kylie were so much more than the three lives mentioned in a news story. They were a mom, daughters, sisters, family and friends who were deeply loved and who should have made it home that night,” the message continued.
Kloie attended Centennial High School in Bakersfield, and the school’s softball team paid tribute to the late teenager on social media.
“Her presence on and off the field will never be forgotten,” read the message. “Kloie will forever be a Golden Hawk.”
The California Highway Patrol and the Kern County Coroner’s Office didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.