Victims of crash on Kitimat-Terrace highway identified as mother and 2 children

A two-vehiclecrash on the highway between Kitimat and Terrace, B.C., on Fridayclaimed the lives of a mother and her two children, according to the children's school.

Kitimat RCMPsaid in a news release the crash occurred Friday morning on Highway 37, near Onion Lake. First responders were called to the area just after 9 a.m.

The initial police investigation indicatesa car headed northbound toward Terrace crossed the centre line and collided with a southbound commercial vehicle.

All three passengers in the car were pronounced dead at the scene.

In a Facebook post Monday, the Centennial Christian School in Terrace identified the victims of the crash as Elizabeth Hesketh and her children, Ashton and Kylie Hesketh.

"Our entire community is grieving the loss of these precious lives," the school said in the post. "Students and staff are receiving the help and support they need at school [on Monday]in classrooms and with counsellors."

Both children were students at the school, with Ashton in Grade 6 and Kylie in Grade 4.

"Our thoughts are with the family, friends and school community affected by this incident.It is a great loss for our northwest B.C. communities," saidStaff Sgt.Graham Morgan, Kitimat RCMP detachment commander.

The highway was closed for several hours Friday while the RCMP traffic reconstructionist attended the scene.

The B.C. Coroners Service and Kitimat RCMPare continuing to investigate.