A 1-year-old girl has died after she and the woman she was being carried by were hit by a commuter train in North Chicago.
Blanca Villanueva-Sanchez, 34, of the 1500 Block of Lincoln Avenue in North Chicago and 1-year-old Maria Cruz, were hit by a commuter train when Villanueva-Sanchez, while holding Cruz, her goddaughter, attempted to cross the tracks at North Chicago's train station at about 9 a.m. authorities say.
Lake County Coroner Richard Keller said Cruz was transported to an area hospital, where she died about noon Saturday. Villanueva-Sanchez was declared dead at the scene.
Witnesses said alarms and flashing lights were going off when the accident occured. A man and second child were also crossing the tracks but made it across without injury. North Chicago fire officials say they believe the woman was the child's aunt and that all four were together and trying to make a train on another platform.
Train service was suspended for a short time. Autopsies are scheduled for Sunday, Keller said.
