Mother of six-year-old killed in crash dies in hospital
The scene of the crash near Carndonagh
- Published
The mother of a six-year-old girl who was killed in a road collision in County Donegal on Wednesday evening, has also died in hospital
Gardaí (Irish police) have appealed for information about the crash, which involved a car and a van, on the R240 at Glentogher, Carndonagh, at about 18:30 local time on Wednesday.
Three people in the car, a man in his 30s, the female driver in her 20s, and a young girl — were taken to hospital for treatment for their injuries.
The woman died in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast on Thursday evening.
The man is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry.
A female child, who was a rear-seat passenger, is also being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The road has now reopened after being closed following the crash.
Speaking earlier to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme, Carndonagh parish priest Fr Con McLaughlin said it was difficult to put into words the sense of grief locally.
"At mass this morning I spoke to people about it and they were shocked into silence," he said.
"You could feel the silence, people are really shocked.
"Words are not adequate to express how you feel in this situation and how much worse it must be for the family concerned."
He said he had been to Altnagelvin hospital on Wednesday and said the scene was "something I will never forget".
'Raw with grief'
Carndonagh Sinn Féin councillor Albert Doherty told BBC News NI the local community was "raw with grief" following the crash.
"People here are just heartbroken and devastated to again think that we have lost a young child on the roads and a local family are faced with the loss of a loved one," he said.
"We are a grieving community at the moment.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with all the injured parties, the relatives and extended relations of the deceased."
He paid tribute to the emergency services who attended the scene on Wednesday evening.
It is the main road between Carndonagh and Quigley's Point, which is about 11 miles (17.7km) from the border with Londonderry in Northern Ireland.
Donegal Sinn Féin TD (MP) Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said news of the crash was "heartbreaking".
He said his "thoughts and prayers" are with the family of the young girl and those who are seriously injured.
Gardaí are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision or who has dashcam footage to come forward.