By AP/KWMU
Marissa, Ill. – A woman and two children from Marissa, Illinois died early Monday after a train struck their SUV. A fourth child was injured and is in a St. Louis hospital.
Police say Tina Porter was driving the children to school when a Canadian National freight train demolished her SUV.
Porter was killed along with 13-year-old Allaysa Porter and Donna Calvert, who was 12 years old.
Marissa Police Chief Mike Kerperien said the crossing did not have gates, but its warning lights were working and the engineer sounded the train's horn.
"Apparently the driver of the vehicle failed to yield to the train and pulled into the path of the train."
Police say the force of the impact tossed the SUV into a railroad equipment building, which was also destroyed.
Marissa is about 40 miles southeast of St. Louis.