NEWHALL – A 46-year-old Lancaster man and his two young children were killed early Monday morning when their vehicle rear-ended a big rig parked off Interstate 5.
Alan Dean Edwards and his children, 9-year-old Erick and 5-year-old Alona, died in a collision that happened around 12:59 a.m. Monday, Dec. 8, on the southbound side of Interstate 5 at the Whitaker Brake Check area, authorities said.
The family was in a 1997 Honda Accord traveling southbound on I-5, when the vehicle entered the brake check area and crashed into the back of a 2006 Freightliner towing a 2003 utility semi-trailer, according to a California Highway Patrol report. The big rig was legally parked inside the brake check area with its driver – 45-year-old Balbir Singh of Yuba City— asleep in the sleeper berth, the CHP report states.
“For unknown reasons the driver of the Honda Accord veered left as it approached the big rig and struck the rear of the big rig prior to any evasive action by the driver,” the CHP report states. “The Honda was wedged underneath the big rig upon arrival of emergency personnel.”
Edwards and the two children were pronounced dead at the scene. Singh sustained no injuries in the collision.
The fatal crash was a horrific ending to the search for the young children. In a post shared with The AV Times and many local residents on Facebook, friends of the children’s mother had pleaded for help in finding the children, believed to be kidnapped by their father. Edwards was supposed to return the children to his ex-wife Sunday, but he had failed to do so, according to the Facebook post.
The post gave a description of Edwards, the children, and the vehicle and asked readers to be on the lookout and to call authorities with any information.
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UPDATE: Loved ones have established an online fundraiser to assist the children’s mother. To donate to this effort, visit http://www.gofundme.com/iftuzk.
UPDATED 12/9/14: MURDER-SUICIDE INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide detectives released a statement Tuesday afternoon regarding the crash. Detectives believe Edwards deliberately rammed his Honda Accord into the back of the parked big rig at a high rate of speed without making any attempts to stop. Read the full statement below:
On Monday, December 8, 2014 at approximately 9 a.m., Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Detectives responded to a traffic collision investigation on the 5 Freeway at Templin Highway in Castaic.
The collision that occurred early Monday morning involving a male 46-year-old adult and an eight-year-old male and a five-year-old female was initially investigated by the California Highway Patrol. According to Sheriff’s Detectives, preliminary information indicates that the adult male suspect deliberately collided with a parked tractor trailer at a high rate of speed without making any attempts to stop, killing himself and two victims in the car.
The suspect and his ex-wife were involved in a custody battle. The suspect had picked up the kids on Friday, December 5, 2014 for a scheduled visit and when he didn’t return on Sunday, December 7, 2014, the wife made a missing persons report to Santa Clarita Station.The investigation is still on-going.
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Jennifer mangler says
i am so sorry for your lost I just herd Collin sad he sorry are kids where in the some class
A.S. says
My heart and prayers go out to the mother of these children, I am so sorry this tragedy happened to you. May God give you the strength you need during this trying time. God Bless.
Alicia says
This man was a selfish human being only thinking about himself , never once thought about his children, he could not cope with rejection, so the only way to hurt his ex wife was through the children he was a sorry excuse for a Father’, because a real father, would have never hurt his children no matter how much he was hurting, my condolences for the family, may God give them peace in there hearts may he help them get through this horrible ordeal God bless
No Name says
The poor truck driver. He will have to live knowing some jerk used his rig to kill himself and his kids.
Shannon says
I am so sorry for your loss….words cannot express the sorrow I feel in my heart….your family is in my thoughts & prayers….with deepest sympathy… Praying somehow The Lord will comfort you in your time of need….
m says
Those of you arguing about whether it was posted on a public media site etc are insensitive (explicit) im not sure how u justify arguing about the death of two innocent children and how the family is choosing to handle it.
My sister lost her children and i my niece and nephew..have some effin respect and take ur drama bs elsewhere. To set the record straight..yes we posted on fb they had been kidnapped in hopes of finding them safe. No details of the situation were posted other than that and most of our pages are private. The media has been hounding our family and when they got no answers they turned to neighbors and anyone who’d talk like vultures. So unless youre here to pay repects or condolences go eff off n take ur crap elsewhere we dont need your negativity. Thank you to those who have expressed concern ..sympathy and your prayers . We are greatful.
Tree says
I’m praying for your family. I pray the Lord will mend your broken hearts. My heart cries out for mother and aunt right now. God has those children now. They are angels awaiting you in heaven and by the grace of God you’ll see them again! I know peace is hard to find now but wait, your heart will find peace in knowing they lived with your love and will welcome you at the gates. God bless!
VXSGUY says
The whole situation is sad. The mother will not ever be able to accept the children’s death but going forward family support will ease her heart. This is a strange way to learn a lesson but when a couple decide to divorce and are in a custody battle they need to think why they are getting a divorce and why a custody battle. The kids was bought into a situation they have no control over. Parents think before you decide to use kids as a tool. Because of the custody battle if reported accurately two innocent lives were lost.
mother says
I had to divorce him for many reasons and I was doing it to save the children and my self from getting hurt, which still happen even though I tired to keep my kids safe from this man with the court, child services, and the police and all failed me!!
a grand mother says
It is unfortunate that something’s on FB should not be posted,but information on missing persons,vehicles,animals sometimes leads to recovery due to the fact it reaches an enormous amount of people when it is shared.
Danny says
You can only hope their is a special place in hell for him
RF says
Part of the blame for stuff like this can be firmly laid at the feet of AV divorce attorneys & the system in place at AV Family Court.
Vickie says
The only blame is on the father. Everyone is responsible for their own actions. That is the problem with our country today, people always looking to place the blame on someone else. This man did not love his children. Love doesn’t kill!
10dog says
AMEN!!! John 3:16
p says
We would all do well to remember,”Judge not lest ye be judged!”
carla says
that man was a piece of [removed] by killing his 2 kids he deserve to died but the kids didnt need it they were children that had their whole life ahead of them and now its gone and i would be burying the kids and let the buzzards have him and prayers for the mother and her family and may god be wbless the mother and her family..ith her family and not his he deserve it. and again god
A says
I knew I had seen this person before somewhere and then I remebered I took a philosophy class with him at AVC a few summers ago. He would always start arguments in class. Not that that matters, just what I remember. One time I had my son with me, I wasn’t attending class but I had to drop something off, and he started talking to my son and he said he had kids of his own. So sad that this was a way out of whatever problems he was having.
car says
I also had a class with him at AVC last spring, and I recall too that he liked to start arguments, and often talked about his problems with his ex-wife over the kids. I’m so sorry to learn that he took his children with him, and wish their mother the best.
Ethel K White says
My condolences and prayers go to the family. The children loved to be at Church and were good. May God COMFORT the family with His PEACE.
mammastone says
I’m lost for words to even know what to say .. bless this family lord , give them peace some how . My heart just hurts for you all. my prayers are with you.
Mike D says
While it is a horrible tragedy, it is and was posted and shared amongst friends. Though I personally did not know him, I have many friends that had posted about the missing kids and the vehicle information. Unfortunately, with the Internet and Facebook, there is absolutely NO reasonable expectation to privacy. The media will report/exploit any information found. The bottom line is, if you want to keep your privacy, don’t post it on the Internet! Period!
NYLA says
SO SAD TO WAKE UP AND SEE TWO LITTLE GIRLS FACES THAT ARE GONE.MAY GOD BLESS ALL INVOLVED.R.I.P. LITTLE ANGELES.MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOUR FAMILY
Hmmm says
Brother 9 and his little sister 5……
ionon says
9 year old brother and 5 year old sister,……. looks like someone didn’t read the whole article…….
Sarah says
Our condolences to your family from ours! My daughter is a classmate of Erick. This is a very sad tragedy.I hope you find comfort in your time of pain. Rest in Love.
So very sorry says
So very sorry for your loss.. Nothing anyone says will take away your pain or questions but please know 1 you are in my prayers for peace 2 they are innocent children resting in Gods hands now. Again I’m sorry
Erika says
I’m sorry but that is true that has nothing to do with the accident and that is someone’s personal info you shouldn’t have posted that much.
Mark says
Actually it has everything to do with the accident
kennita says
Sending my prayers and condolences to the entire family and all if their love ones and friends! Really sorry this happened!
Amanda says
I am the mother of the oldest surviving daughter, please respect our families wishes and allow my daughter, her step mom, and the grandparents, (Alan’s parents) grieve in privacy. Yes, we posted on Facebook to get these precious innocent children home. This is horrific, was not an accident, and was done on purpose and with malice. We are having a hard time and are just asking that the media and public give us our space to process all of this. Yes, Alan kidnapped these children, and yes he committed a selfish horrific crime. He made sure if the kids weren’t with him then they weren’t with their mom. Again, please be respectful of our privacy and space.
Letlow says
Sorry for your loss. These poor innocent children, may they RIP…
Shawn says
My heartfelt condolences and prayers are with all of you at this time. So heartbreaking.
Rx says
I cant even imagine, My heart hurts for you and your family, my prayers are with all of you during this time….
Cindy says
I am sorry for all you and the family are going through. No one can imagine how hard this is unless they’ve suffered through something similiar. Sadly there are people who are not kind hearted and they will come out in the wash. Please know that you are all in my prayers. People need to respect that this type of thing will never go away and when others are rude about it, it compounds everything for the family. I hope the phone stops ringing and the gofundme account is successful. My condolences again. :(
car says
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you, and hope that your privacy will be respected.
T says
None of this information was allowed to be let out. Your station went onto a persons Facebook page without permission before family could even pass on information on their own. That was wrong of you to do. She’s getting calls on her cell phone at 11 pm with you people hounding for answers when no one even knows what’s all taken place. Please respect the family of those affected by this tragedy
J says
So the information was posted on Facebook, which is a public social media website that anyone can view, and a post was created on this website for people to share, but yet you don’t expect the media to use any of this public information? Um, ok…
M13 says
Does that really matter? She’s a grieving mother, who cares about any of that stuff you’re talking about. Two children are dead and you’re going to sit here and argue about something so stupid? What kind of a soulless person are you?
TJ says
Not to dismiss the loss of two innocent children, but the woman commenting is not the mother of those precious kids. Her daughter is an older child of the man who was the driver of the car. They have different mothers.
Q says
Looks like all of the details reported in this article are based on the CHP report. And if you post something on Facebook with public access, you’ve already self-published that information. I don’t need permission to view your Facebook page if you have public settings.
T says
Wow u people that are bein rude they jus lost there kids nd u r sitting here talking mess…what if that was u in there position stop attacking them nd give ur condolences… What kind of people r u nd how can you live with yourselves… Get a grip nd jus shut your mouth!!!!
dumbandblind says
News will be told one way or another.