CLAY COUNTY, Ind. — Two children who recently moved to the O’Fallon area from Ohio were killed and their mother and another sibling were injured July 18 in Indiana when their van was struck from behind after slowing for a highway construction zone.
Indiana State Police said the crash killed 1-year-old Finley Bereda and 5-year-old Brennen Bereda. Their mother, Christina Bereda, 33, and 3-year-old Jordan Bereda were being treated at hospitals following the crash on Interstate 70 about 60 miles southwest of Indianapolis.
Police said a tractor-trailer driven by 62-year-old Amritpal Singh of Quebec, Canada, struck the Beredas’ van before colliding with another semi.
Police said child-restraint seats were in use in the van.
Police listed the family as being from Beavercreek. According to staff at St. Clare Catholic Church in O’Fallon, the Bereda family had recently moved to the metro-east and the family had registered at St. Clare.
Christina Bereda is a doctor and the medical director at Express Medical Care in Fairview Heights, according to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation license records.
Her husband and the children’s father is Dr. David Bereda, who works at Scott Air Force Base.
A friend of the family has started a crowd funding donation page for the Beredas with the intention to give “Love, Thoughts, Prayers, and Support” to the family. It has a goal of $40,000 and had raised nearly $35,000 and had 12,000 shares by July 20 afternoon.
Further details were not immediately available.
