5 children killed in crash not wearing seat belts, police say; grandparents of sisters 'devastated'

BOWIE, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - A community is in mourning after five children were killed in a vehicle crash in Prince George's County over the weekend. The crash happened on Route 301 in Bowie early Saturday morning.

The young victims of the crash, who were identified over the weekend by police, ranged in age from five to 15-years-old. According to Maryland State Police, none of the children were wearing seat belts.

Officials say 8-year-old London Dixon and her 5-year-old sister, Paris, were from Bowie. Their mother, 32-year-old Dominque Taylor, was driving the vehicle when it crashed. FOX 5 spoke with the grandparents of the girls who say they are "devastated" by the loss. At this time, there is no updated on the condition of Taylor. Police say 23-year-old , Taylor's boyfriend, was in the passenger seat during the crash and remains in critical condition.

FOX 5's Bob Barnard visited Northview Elementary where Paris and London attended school and said grief counselors were on hand for students and families impacted by the tragedy.

The three other children who were killed in the crash, identified by police as 6-year-old Rickelle Ricks, 14-year-old Zion Beard and 15-year-old Damari Herald, were from Washington D.C. Their mother is a cousin of Taylor.

Maryland State Police say the crash occurred shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday morning. The vehicle went off the road, struck a tree line and spun into a snow-covered field.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation.