9 minors and one adult die in a car accident involving an Alabama Girls Ranch vehicle

(CNN) – Nine minors and one adult were killed in a crash on Interstate 65 in Butler County, Alabama, on Saturday, according to Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock.

Eight of the deceased minors, ages 4 to 17, were in a vehicle from the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, Garlock said.

The youth ranch provides a home for school-age children who have been abandoned or abused, according to the Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches, the nonprofit organization that runs the Tallapoosa County Girls’ Ranch and others across the state.

A 29-year-old father and his 9-month-old daughter who were in another vehicle also died, Garlock added.

Details of the accident

The accident occurred on I-65 northbound at milepost 138 on Saturday afternoon during storms that hit the state, according to Garlock.

The Tropical depression, which was originally called a tropical storm Claudette, brought heavy rains across the southeast on Saturday after it made landfall in southeastern Louisiana early in the morning.

The driver of the small Girls Ranch bus was removed from the vehicle in them, Garlock said, but rescue personnel were unable to reach the girls in time.

In the other vehicle, the father was pronounced dead at the scene, Garlock said. The girl was taken to the Regional Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead.

Garlock indicated that the child was securely restrained in an infant seat, but said the impact was too strong.

In a statement, Michael Smith, CEO of Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches, called the accident a “horrible tragedy and loss.”

“This morning I was thinking that we don’t always understand why things happen,” Smith said.

“However, we will continue to cling to our God for peace and comfort while our hearts continue to be broken. Please keep praying for us as we go through this difficult time.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency He asked people who may have photos or videos of the accident to forward them to authorities.

CNN’s Deanna Hackney contributed to this report.