Nationwide — Marcus Ragland and Ashley Brooke Hawkins, an African American father and mom of seven youngsters from Rome, Georgia, died in an ATV crash at Indian Mountain ATV Park in Alabama. All of their youngsters survived the accident however had been injured, with some having to be airlifted to completely different hospitals.
The crash occurred Sunday night in Cherokee County, simply west of the Georgia-Alabama state line. Ragland, 34, was driving the ATV and died on the scene. Hawkins, 31, was taken to UAB Hospital in Birmingham, the place she later died from her accidents.
4 of the youngsters had been airlifted to Atrium Well being Floyd Medical Heart in Rome, Georgia, whereas three others had been flown to a hospital in Birmingham. Medical doctors anticipate them to get better, although one of many youngest, a 12-month-old, stays underneath shut care.
On the hospital, household pal Monica Watkins stayed near the youngsters. “They hold asking for momma, and I don’t need to say as a result of we haven’t instructed them about her but,” she instructed WSB-TV. Watkins had lived with Hawkins for years and helped increase her youngsters.
Watkins mentioned she now plans to step in for the youngsters. “I’ve to be robust for these infants as a result of I’m going to must play the mom function. I can by no means exchange their mother, however I’m going to must really feel like mother.”
Ragland, who died within the crash, was the daddy of 10 youngsters and reportedly had two extra on the best way. Two of his youngsters had been with Hawkins, whereas others dwell with completely different households.
Watkins requested the group to maintain praying for the youngsters as they get better from the crash and start life with out their mother and father.
