Baby and 3-year-old child killed when van slides off icy road, slams into tree, bursts into flames

CAMANO ISLAND, Wash. -- An infant and a young child were both killed in a single-vehicle, weather-related crash Tuesday morning on Camano Island, according to the Washington State Patrol. Their mother was seriously injured.

A Dodge Caravan was traveling northbound in the 600 block of North Sunrise Boulevard at about 7:30 a.m. when, "due to road conditions," the van left the roadway, went over an embankment and slammed into a tree head-on. The van spun around and then became fully engulfed in flames, the WSP said.

WSP Sgt. Mark Francis said the girls' 23-year-old mom, Tanya Canell, who was driving, was seriously injured in Tuesday morning's crash. The girls, ages 5 months and 3 years, died at the scene.  Canell was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle in serious condition.

Francis said Canell told troopers that after hitting the tree, her legs were stuck and the car was on fire. She finally managed to free herself and tried but wasn't able to rescue her girls. Two passers-by rushed to help and one burned his hands in the process.

A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help with the family's expenses. The friend who set up the site said Canell has two broken legs, a broken pelvis and 30% of her body is burned.

No other vehicles were involved.

The mother involved in the crash is a former Papa Murphy's employee. The Stanwood location will be hosting a fundraiser to benefit Canell and her family. Here are the details:

“All of us at Papa Murphy’s are absolutely devastated to learn of this accident, and our hearts go out to Tanya and her entire family. Tanya worked for us for five years and we still consider her one of our own,” said Jeremy Lovelace of Papa Murphy’s. “Especially with Christmas just around the corner, we want to help Tanya in what will surely be a lengthy recovery process, both physically and emotionally.”