An Amtrak passenger train headed from Chicago to Los Angeles hit the family’s mini-van as it drove across railway tracks near the town of Trinidad, which is 15 miles from the New Mexico border.
Heidi was flown to a children’s hospital in nearby Aurora. She is currently receiving treatment for her injuries and is expected to recover.
Her father, Steve, 32, and mother Christina, 33, and sisters Abigail, six, Kathryn, two, and eight-month-old Elliana were killed. The family were on their way to church when the crash happened.
Relatives, who are with Heidi in hospital, told CBS she is “awake and asking for her mother” but they did not know how to explain what had happened.
Police said the family’s Chrysler mini-van failed to give way to the Amtrak train and the train was unable to stop. Officers said alcohol or drug use is not suspected to be factor in the crash. Trooper Art Gumke of the Colorado State Patrol said the minivan was moving at the time of the crash and was not stuck.
"When they didn’t show up for church, we were worried about what was going on. We thought they were broken down or something. One of the other guys was driving back from church toward Steve’s house to see what happened and then he got to the tracks." Keith Schlabach, Mrs Miller's cousin said.
Her parents
The damaged family mini-van
Source: Evening Standard/Fox News
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