Parent dead, child injured after tree falls on SUV in Pennsylvania suburb
A parent died and a child was injured after a tree fell onto a car in West Whiteland Township, Chester County Thursday morning, according to officials with Chester County.
West Whiteland Township police confirmed the parent as a 30-year-old woman in a press release shared on social media Thursday evening.
A tree fell onto the SUV she was driving at Stonegate Court and Ship Road just before 10 a.m.
West Whiteland Township police said evidence at the scene and witness statements revealed a 2011 Chevy Suburban was going south on South Ship Road when a piece of a tree fell onto the SUV's roof. The Chevy continued for a short distance and eventually came to a stop in the northbound lanes, authorities said.
The parent was killed and the child was taken to the hospital to be checked out and was later released to a family member, Chester County officials said. The child was taken to Paoli Memorial Hospital and the parent was pronounced dead at the scene from her injuries, West Whiteland Township police said.
The West Whiteland Township Police Department, West Whiteland Township Station 6 Fire Department and the Uwchlan Ambulance Corps responded to the scene to help.
The road was closed while officials investigated but has since reopened.
A wind advisory is in effect throughout the Philadelphia region until 10 p.m. as wind chills between 40 to 50 mph have been affecting the entire region since this early morning.
The deadly incident is under investigation by the West Whiteland Township Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division. If anyone has information, they can submit a tip on the department's website.
