Community mourning 3 Georgia teens killed in Florida crash
Jaylyn Fehr identified in deadly spring break crash
Horizon Christian Academy is mourning three students killed in a tragic Florida Panhandle crash that left a fourth student in critical condition.
FORSYTH COUNTY, Fla. - Three metro Atlanta high school students were killed in a fiery crash on Monday while on spring break in Florida.
What we know:
Authorities say the teens were traveling along Highway 65 in Franklin County when the crash happened. It appears the students were traveling in a Jeep that left the road and crashed into the treeline. The Jeep caught fire after the crash.
Courtesy of Florida Highway Patrol
One person survived the initial crash and was transported to a hospital in Tallahassee, according to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.
The three teens who lost their lives were an 18-year-old male from Alpharetta; a 17-year-old female from Cumming; and a 16-year-old female from Cumming. A 17-year-old female from Alpharetta was transported to a hospital in critical condition, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety.
What they're saying:
The Franklin County sheriff shared a video message on Facebook offering condolences to the victims’ families. "We don't know how fast they were going or what happened, but we do know that they obviously something happened to cause this vehicle to go into the other lane and hit a tree," the sheriff said.
The sheriff says some Good Samaritans were driving by and stopped to help before the car caught fire. "They were there maybe seconds after the crash and as a result, they stopped to render aid, and they were able to pull one of the teenage females out of the front passenger seat," he said. "We're all heartbroken about it, and we just hope that people will keep the families of all these kids in their prayers and continue to you know pray for the young lady that's recovering."
Three metro Atlanta students killed in Florida crash
Three metro Atlanta high school students were killed and a fourth remains in critical condition following a fiery crash in the Florida Panhandle on Monday. The students, all from Alpharetta and Cumming, were reportedly on a spring break vacation with their families.
"They were just, you know, just regular kids coming down to have a good time at the beach," the sheriff said.
It has now been confirmed that the students attended Horizon Christian Academy. They posted a statement on their Facebook page late Tuesday morning saying that "three of our amazing, kind, smart, and loved students were killed in a tragic car accident in Florida."
In a statement Tuesday afternoon, the school wrote:
"Horizon Christian Academy is grieving the tragic loss of three students who were killed in a car accident in Florida. One additional student involved remains hospitalized and is receiving medical care.
"We are heartbroken as a school community and we ask for prayers for these families and their loved ones, as well as for the student who remains in the hospital. This is an incredibly difficult time for all who are affected.
"HCA is leaning on its faith as we process the tragedy. We are reminded in Psalm 34:18 that ‘The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.’ Our prayer is that God’s presence will be deeply felt by these families and that He will bring comfort, peace, and hope in the midst of unimaginable loss.
"As a school family, we are preparing to mobilize support for the affected families as more information becomes available. Our small and close-knit community is our strength but we value and appreciate prayers and support from all who have reached out to our community.
"In the days and weeks ahead, we will stand together, grieve together, and support these families in every way we can."
The school also said that it opened its chapel Monday night to allow students and families a place to come together to grieve and to pray and that the school will share additional ways to help friends, families and staff in the coming days. They are asking everyone for their prayers.
The City of Cumming says that it will light the "Cumming Home" water tower at Ga. Hwy. Ext 14 in navy blue and gold tonight through April 17 in honor of the students and to show their support.
What you can do:
Loved ones of Jaylyn Fehr, a junior at Horizon Christian Academy who died in the crash, have set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for travel and funeral expenses. On the page, they wrote:
"Jaylyn was actively involved in her church, Local Forsyth, and attended youth group at Northpoint Community Church. Her faith and kindness touched everyone who knew her, and her loss is deeply felt by her family, friends, and the entire community."