St. Louis (KSDK)-- Several families are mourning the loss of loved ones killed in a one car accident on Interstate 70 Friday night. Five are dead, their ages range from 4 to 17. The driver lost control of the car travelling Eastbound I-70 near the Shreve exit. There's only one survivor, a young mother who is dealing with a terrible loss.
Outside of St. Augustine Catholic Church, Donvea Thompson,3, is surrounded by family. He's blessed his mother survived the accident on I-70 that killed five people. But the accident killed his 4-year old brother, Traciono. Donvea's grandmother is searching for the words to explain.
"I'll tell you about Traciono, okay. When we get to your mommy, we'll talk about Traciono," said Grandmother Tracy Thompson.
A candlelight memorial marks the place where the car ran off the highway into a tree near Shreve. Grandmother Tracy Thompson says she doesn't know the 17-year old driver, she doesn't know why they were all in the car, and she doesn't know where they were going. Tracy's daughter, Donyeill Thompson, 22, the only survivor- would only say one thing about Friday night.
"She did say the car was in high speed and she asked them to slow down. At that time she made sure Traciono had on his seat belt. And I was told from the accident scene that Traciono was in a seat belt when they remove him from that car," said Tracy Thompson. "She asked him several times to slow the car down."
Donyeill has been released from the hospital. She's home, but her mother says Donyeill is too overwhelmed by grief to talk about that night.
"What I know most of all is that he was really loved by his mother," said Tracy Thompson.
The weight of surviving the emotional trauma falls on Tracy as she struggles with her own grief, and struggles to help her daughter through the grief of losing a child. Family and friends meet Tracy at St. Augustine Catholic Church to pray.
In addition to prayers. Traciono's family is asking for financial help. They plan to set up a bank account to accept much needed donations for Traciono's funeral and burial.
The crash also claimed the lives of two Hazelwood East Juniors. Tevin Wright, 17, and D'Anthony Newble, 16.
Police say the driver, Ernez Merriweather, 17 who also died, was a former student of the school.
Counselors will be available for students tomorrow morning. The fifth victim was Queen Kelly, 16.