Illinois

Services Held for Pregnant Mom, 3 Sons Killed in Beecher Crash; Citation Against Driver Dismissed

Funeral services were held for a pregnant mother and her three young sons who died last week after their vehicle collided with another near their northern Illinois home. 

Mourners filled Trinity Lutheran Church in Crete on Wednesday for 29-year-old Lindsey Schmidt of Beecher and her sons, 6-year-old Owen, 4-year-old Weston and 19-month-old Kaleb.

Throughout the service, which lasted about 50 minutes, the Rev. Frank Italiano stressed Lindsey Schmidt's Christian faith and her involvement with the church. 

The Will County sheriff's office says Schmidt and her three boys were on their way to bible classes at Trinity on July 24 when a pickup truck blew a stop sign and struck their sport utility vehicle. 

Schmidt and her youngest son Kaleb were pronounced dead at the scene. Weston died at Comer Children's Hospital at the University of Chicago the following evening. Owen succumbed to his injuries two days later. 

Authorities say the pickup truck's driver received a traffic citation that was dismissed Tuesday. Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow says the case remains under investigation.

Glasgow told the Chicago Tribune he could not say if further charges would be filed, but noted a resolution on the traffic citation could have prompted double jeopardy issues should more serious charges be filed later. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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