SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — Three children are in critical condition after being hit while crossing 24th Avenue in Spokane Valley on Tuesday.
Washington State Patrol says the crash occurred at the intersection of Highway 27 and 24th Ave. According to WSP, multiple victims were transported for medical care to Sacred Heart. The children involved are an eleven-year-old male, a two-year-old male and an eleven-month-old male.
The 37-year-old mother received minor injuries in the collision.
The driver is reported to be a 16-year-old female. She is not facing any criminal charges.
Josh Hendricks, the husband and father of the victims of the crash, was in Seattle when his wife called him.
"My wife video called me to let me know what was going on," Hendricks said. "At the time of the call, my son Thor was getting CPR because he didn't have a pulse at the time."
Hendricks immediately got on the next available flight home.
"The only thing kept going in my mind was I gotta get home," Hendricks said. "God, let him still be alive when I get there."
Baby Thor is alive thanks in part to Miranda Henry.
"I've been CPR certified since I was 16," Henry said.
Henry was one of the first on scene and performed CPR until first responders arrived.
"Just kind of focused on the little boy," Henry said. "Kind of pictured my daughter at first. I got a daughter the same age. Freaked me out a bit. Then just focused on the mom. She was standing right above me."
Henry said she hopes more people become CPR-certified. She said she's performed CPR before, but this was her first time doing it on a child.
Henry's father said cars drive too fast down Highway 27 outside his home.
He said he's been in contact with the city of Spokane Valley to bring a stoplight or stop sign at the intersection outside his home. He said he's planning on turning his security cameras to face the street to help the city gather pedestrian-data.
According to the city, certain criteria need to be met in order to consider a crosswalk.
"The first criteria for considering a crosswalk is 15-20 pedestrians per hour needing to cross a street," Spokane Valley PIO Emily Estes-Cross said in an email. "If that first criteria is satisfied, we consult the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (US DOT Federal Highway Administration regulatory standard) to determine where a crosswalk should be located and what traffic controls (signs, signals, medians, etc.) are required to direct or stop vehicles so that pedestrians can safely cross."
Hendricks released a statement to KREM 2 which read, "We are very thankful for the RN that stepped in and brought our son back to life. We are very thankful our son Thor who is 2.5 years old (Jeffrey Thor Hendricks) is still alive and fighting for life. We are thankful that Kaleb our 11 year old, only had a small foot fracture and 11 stitches. He is at home right now. We are thankful our son Obi (Obidiah Hendricks) only has 2 minor fractures on his femur and bumps and bruises at this time. I am thankful that at this time my wife and 3 sons are still alive and the outpouring from the people I have seen is very thoughtful and I appreciate it very much."
A GiveSendGo fundraiser has been set up to help cover medical costs for the family.
Hendricks family
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