WELD COUNTY, Colo. – A 3-year-old child who was hospitalized following a crash on Highway 52 west of Hudson Friday morning has died, the Colorado State Patrol confirmed with Denver7 on Sunday.
The child, who was identified on a GoFundMe account, died at 3:47 a.m. Sunday, according to Colorado State Trooper Gabe Easton. The child's identity has not been officially confirmed by state authorities.
Her death marks the third fatality in the four-vehicle crash that happened near the intersection of Highway 52 and Weld County Road 41 at around 8 a.m. Friday.
Sheila Sinclar, 29, of Lochbuie and her 6-year-old son, Jaxon, were killed in the crash. They were not wearing seatbelts, according to a CSP spokesperson.
But a close family member who spoke with Denver7 on Sunday is disputing the claims made by CSP, saying Sheila was "a very strong advocate for car seat and seatbelt safety." She added, "everybody that knows her personally knows it's not true that they weren't wearing a seatbelt, especially Jax," the family member said.
The 3-year-old toddler was hospitalized in critical condition following the crash. Another baby in the car was not seriously injured, CSP officials said.
The GoFundMe page states the toddler’s organs were being donated.
CSP Trooper Gary Cutler told Denver7 on Friday another driver was ejected from the vehicle in the crash and was also in critical condition. The two other drivers were not severely injured. Their identities have not been released.
Cutler said that investigators believe that fog in the area may have been a factor in the crash, and that it was believed Sheila ran through a stop sign and didn't see the other driver coming down Highway 52.
The other two vehicles then hit the first two vehicles involved.
CSP says Good Samaritans at the scene performed CPR on the victims and grabbed clothes and blankets out of their vehicles to keep the victims warm.