Mother Loses Baby And Toddler In 110 Freeway Crash

LOS ANGELES, CA — A 3-year-old boy was killed on the southbound Harbor (110) Freeway in a two-vehicle crash that injured his 5-year-old brother and their mother, who also lost her seven-month-old fetus, authorities said Tuesday.

The crash occurred about 10 p.m. Monday at 76th Street, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Nanci Martinez, 25, of Los Angeles was driving a 2009 Chevrolet Aveo that apparently had stopped for an unknown reason on the right shoulder of the freeway, the CHP reported.

"For reasons not confirmed, the driver of a (2018) Mercedes GL250 SUV claimed mechanical problems with the vehicle before making an unsafe turning movement to the right from the No. 5 lane, and onto the right shoulder," a CHP statement said.

"The SUV struck the sound wall adjacent to the south shoulder before impacting the rear of (the) Chevy Aveo believed to be stopped/parked on the shoulder," the CHP statement said. "The Aveo's driver ... was 7-months pregnant and had her restrained 3-year-old and 5-year-old children in the rear seat."

Martinez and her sons were taken to a hospital, where the younger boy died. His name was withheld. The older boy's name was not released. He suffered moderate injuries. Martinez, who suffered major injuries, "lost her unborn child," the CHP statement said.

The driver of the SUV, 67-year-old Ken Li of Torrance, was treated at a hospital for a minor injury, the CHP reported. Li's wife, 50-year-old Anita Li, was riding in the SUV and was treated at a hospital for major injuries, the CHP reported.

"Alcohol does not appear to be a factor," the CHP statement said.

City News Service; Image: Shutterstock