On Christmas Eve, a family receives the sad news that a member of their family will not be able to see Christmas Day.
Lauren Smith was riding in a Chevrolet sedan when it struck a curb and crashed into a tree in the 1000 block of West Garfield Boulevard around 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said. The car came to rest on the passenger side on a grassy median between Garfield’s eastbound and westbound lanes, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford.
Firefighters spent about 40 minutes working to free the driver, who was taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital. Fire officials initially listed his age as 22, but police said he is 26.
After freeing the driver, firefighters continued to search the crushed car and the young girl trapped inside, Langford said. Firefighters freed Smith in 20 minutes, but their efforts to save her life were unsuccessful.