Mom in van vs. train crash dies

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CHICAGO | The Hammond mother who raced her van through a parking lot with her four children inside before driving into the path of two freight trains succumbed to her injuries early Tuesday morning.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the death of Edie Bolanos, 32, at Loyola Hospital in Maywood, Ill. at 2:10 a.m.

Her two daughters -- Crystal, 11, and Anahi, 8 -- were killed in the crash and died as a result of blunt force trauma.

Bolanos was captured on a Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District surveillance camera on Sept. 1 driving her van through the parking lot at the Hammond station at Hohman Avenue, apparently in an effort to beat the freight trains before they reached a traffic crossing.

Instead, her van was hit just before 10 a.m., sending her and her two daughters flying from the vehicle.

Her other two children, a 2-year-old boy and 13-year-old boy, were also injured and transported to a Chicago hospital. Information on their conditions was not available early Tuesday.

Police later determined only the 13-year-old was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.

Bolanos' injuries on the police report were listed as a fractured or dislocated neck. The 13-year-old had contusions and bruising to the head while the 2-year-old had injuries to his knee, lower leg and foot.

The video of the accident sparked angry reaction about Bolanos' actions and has been featured on national news broadcasts. (View the video.)

An autopsy is scheduled on Bolanos later today, a spokesman for the medical examiner's office said.

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