Westville, New Jersey. According to authorities, four members of a New Jersey family died in a “horrific” car collision over the weekend.
Chief William Whinna of the Westville Police Department says the fatal tragedy happened on Saturday night, killing father George Ritter, his two daughters, and his niece.
The father and the children’s identities were confirmed through a GoFundMe page. Ritters’ daughters Alivia and Elsie, ages 5 and 9, and his niece Kenzie, age 8, were involved in the fatal crash.
The family was driving home from a toddler’s birthday celebration at the Westville Power Boat Association when the single-vehicle incident occurred around 9 p.m. in Westville.
GoFundMe; pictured above are George and the girls
Ritter, 33, was driving when the vehicle collided with a utility pole. The utility pole was positioned in front of a Pellegrino Chevrolet dealership, as per Whinna.
The cause of the accident is yet undetermined. Whinna said officials are “investigating all options at this moment” in a statement to the press.
The family’s loved ones have been heartbroken as a result of the tragic tragedy.
Brian Mammoccio, Kenzie’s dad, shared his sadness to WPVI, saying that his daughter was “caring, honest, and full of life and spark.”
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“I wish she could be with me right now so I could give her one final hug because I never got to say goodbye,” Mammoccio said.
“Cherish every moment you have with your children because you never know when it will be taken away from you,” Mammoccio concluded. “With mine, I only got eight years.”
According to WPVI, mourners gathered at the collision site on Sunday to pay homage to the fatalities and leave flowers and toys.
“We just wanted to let the family know we were thinking of them,” Catherine Leone, a mourner, told the reporters. “This is a tragic, tragic accident.”
Westville Power Boat set up a GoFundMe page the same day to support the families with funeral costs. So far, it’s gotten a lot of attention and managed to raise $46,700.
“Westville Power Boat Association has lost a very loved member and 3 beautiful angels as well,” the page reads.
“We want to give George and the girls, Elsie, Alivia, and Kenzie, the memorial they deserve and to honor their memory and say our last goodbyes.”
“They have touched the lives of so many and it’s our turn to show our appreciation for George and the girls one last time,” the GoFundMe page quoted. “Any donation is extremely appreciated.”