Savannah Webster dies after being hit by freight train

May 2024 · 5 minute read

Third girl in tragic freight train accident dies four days after her friends following family's decision to switch off life support

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Family members say they took a 13-year-old Utah girl off life support three days after a train accident that killed her sister and another girl.

The family wrote on a blog on Tuesday that doctors said Savannah Webster would not recover further from severe brain injuries.

Hospital officials confirmed today that she had died.

Savannah's sister, Kelsea Webster, and friend Essa Ricker, both 15, died on Saturday after they were hit while taking photos in Spanish Fork Canyon.

Sisters Kelsea and Savannah had moved to Utah from California just two months ago

Killed: Savannah, right, died yesterday after her family decided to turn off her life support. Her sister Kelsea died on Saturday in the same accident

'We spoke to the doctors today and they informed us that Savvy's brain injuries were too great,' Savanah and Kelsea's mother, Jayna Webster, wrote on the blog on Tuesday.

'Even though they've had done everything possible Savannah will not be able to recover any further.  We will keep her on life support till the end of the day, but its time to say good bye, for now, to an angel that walked among us.'

The family is planning a funeral for the Webster girls for this Saturday and will release details soon, Jayna Webster wrote.

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Miss Ricker's family is planning a private memorial, a spokeswoman for the Nebo School District, where all three girls were students, told the Salt Lake Tribune.

The Websters wrote that Savannah's available organs are being donated.

Investigators yesterday said they are certain both trains — one an eastbound Union Pacific train and the other westbound Utah Railway train — struck at least two of the three teenagers, if not all three, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Blog: Savannah's mother Jayna wrote on the family's blog on Tuesday that her daughter would have her life support switched off

Blog: Savannah's mother Jayna wrote on the family's blog on Tuesday that her daughter would have her life support switched off

The tragic last Facebook message Savannah 'Savy' Webster posted moments before she was hit by a train

The tragic last Facebook message Savannah 'Savy' Webster posted moments before she was hit by a train

The girls were hit by a freight train on Saturday evening. Pictured are diesel engines entering a tunnel in Spanish Fork Canyon (file picture)

The girls were hit by a freight train on Saturday evening. Pictured are diesel engines entering a tunnel in Spanish Fork Canyon (file picture)

The girls had been taking photos when they were hit at 6.40pm on Saturday evening and apparently knew one train was coming, but did not realise another was coming from the opposite direction.

Utah County sheriff's Sgt Spencer Cannon said the teenagers waved to the engineers of the Utah Railway train as its lead engine passed by, near the Covered Bridge Canyon crossing.

Then the Union Pacific train came from the opposition direction. Mr Cannon said the gap between the two passing trains was roughly three or four feet and that the resulting turbulence was strong enough to buffet the girls.

Moments before the accident one of the girls had posted; 'Standing right by a train ah haha this is awesome' on her Facebook page.

Essa and Kelsea were killed in the accident, while Savannah underwent surgery at the Primary Children's Medical Center.

She was reported to be 'screaming' when emergency services arrived at the scene.

From left: Savannah Webster, Kelsea Webster and Essa Ricker pictured on Facebook. Ricker and Kelsea Webster, both 15, were killed after being hit by a freight train in Spanish Fork Canyon on Saturday evening. Savannah Webster is in critical condition

From left: Savannah Webster, Kelsea Webster and Essa Ricker pictured on Facebook. Essa and Kelsea, both 15, were killed by a freight train in Spanish Fork Canyon on Saturday evening. Savannah, 13, died yesterday

Karen Webster, the grandmother of Kelsea and Savannah described the trio as 'sweet, wonderful girls having a good time.'

She told the Salt Lake Tribune: 'They just loved nature, and they were taking pictures of fall.

She added: 'They were watching the train, waving to the [engineer] as he went by.'

According to Sgt Cannon, the engineer of an eastbound train reported seeing the girls between the sets of tracks before sounding his horn.

'He told deputies the girls did not respond to his blasting of the horn and he was unable to stop before hitting them,' Mr Cannon said.

Pupils at Diamond Fork Junior High School in Spanish Fork have created a Facebook page encouraging their classmates to wear their 'Best Dress for Essa and Kelsea' today in honour of Essa Ricker and Kelsea Webster

Pupils at Diamond Fork Junior High School in Spanish Fork created a Facebook page to encourage their classmates to wear their 'Best Dress for Essa and Kelsea' on Monday in honour of the girls

Mary Scobell, who lives close to the tracks said dozens of trains pass through every day and that locals are aware of the two sets of tracks. 

She said: 'We always tell our visitors, if there's a train and it goes past, you still don't get on the tracks.

'You count a few seconds, look right and left to make sure (another) train isn't coming.'

Essa and Kelsea both attended Diamond Fork Junior High School in Spanish Fork. The Webster sisters had moved to the area from California just two months ago.

A Facebook page has been set up encouraging the pair's classmates to wear their 'best dresses' in honour of the girls today.

Bruce Hiskey, president of the nearby Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said: 'It's very devastating.

'These are vibrant, good young women. They were having a beautiful time on a beautiful fall day, and it's just a tragedy this happened.'

The girls were taking photos of themselves when they died, a frequent hobby

The girls were taking photos of themselves when they died, a frequent hobby

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