Morganton Tragedy: Annabelle and Two Children Struck by Car While Running Lemonade Stand
MORGANTON, N.C. — A quiet summer afternoon on Conley Road south of Morganton turned into a heartbreaking tragedy early Tuesday when three young girls selling lemonade were struck by a vehicle that veered off the road. The crash left the girls — aged 7, 8, and 9 — in critical condition and has shaken their families and the entire community.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol confirmed that two cars were involved in a collision around 1:20 p.m., which caused one of the vehicles to lose control and veer onto the grass where the children were working at their lemonade stand. Tire marks left in the grass paint a chilling picture of the vehicle’s path before impact.
Elizabeth, one of the girls near the scene, described the terrifying moments just seconds before the accident. “I went back to get some water… And I was right there, and it just happened so fast,” she said quietly. Elizabeth narrowly escaped being hit, but tragically her younger sister and their friends were not so lucky.
The immediate aftermath was chaos and panic. Elizabeth said, “I was scared, I didn’t know what to do… I just ran and got my mom.” Her mother rushed to the scene, horrified by what she saw. “Very distraught, and just said Momma, you need to hurry and get here. Annabelle has been run over,” she recalled, naming one of the girls injured in the crash.
Emergency medical personnel responded swiftly. Two of the girls were airlifted to nearby hospitals due to the severity of their injuries, while the third was transported by EMS. All three remain in critical condition as doctors continue emergency surgery and intensive care.
The gravity of the situation struck home when a local reporter caught up with the families as they returned from the hospital to their homes to pack bags while their children were in surgery. One father expressed the raw pain of witnessing the aftermath: “Just as soon as I got to park, I come over here and see how bad it was actually then… I’m just very traumatized to see something like that. Especially the child… Yeah… Seeing pieces everywhere,” he said somberly.
Despite the tragic impact, the family described the outcome as a miracle, noting that the accident could have been far worse. In the wake of the incident, they are calling on all drivers to exercise greater care, especially as summer brings more children outdoors and away from school.
“Be more careful, the more mindful that there’s kids out of school for the summer and the little things like this and just try to pay more attention,” one mother urged. “I can’t blame anyone for the accident. Accidents happen. But I was upset about it. I’ve just had to pray about it.”
North Carolina State Troopers have charged the driver involved with failure to yield resulting in serious bodily injury. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities seek to understand all the factors that led to this devastating crash.
This tragedy serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers present even in everyday, seemingly safe settings. As families and the community rally around the injured girls and their loved ones, there is a shared hope for recovery and a renewed call for caution on the roads.