Gerrard Kaonga
Groups of friends take selfies all the time, but these three girls missed a crucial detail before they took a picture that would cost them their lives.
Way back in 2011, a community in Utah were left stunned after three girls lost their lives in tragic circumstances.
Utah County sheriff Sgt Spencer Cannon explained that three teens, Essa Ricker and Kelsea Webster, and her little sister, Savannah, waved to engineers of the Utah Railway train as they ventured past the Covered Bridge Canyon crossing in the state.
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However, none of them came to realize that a Union Pacific carrier was coming in the opposite direction.
Speaking to the press at the time, Cannon explained that the gap between the two trains was minimal, roughly three to four feet.
The trio were struck by the train and Essa and Kelsea are believed to have died instantly in the accident.
Savannah underwent surgery at a local hospital, but after doctors told her parents she would not recover from severe brain injuries, life support was withdrawn.
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Jayna Webster, Savanah and Kelsea's mom, wrote on her blog at the time: "We spoke to the doctors today and they informed us that Savvy's brain injuries were too great.
"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 it's time to say goodbye, for now, to an angel that walked among us."
Just moments before the tragic accident, Savannah penned on Facebook: "Standing right by a train ahaha this is awesome!!!!"
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Big train enthusiasts, the teens posed for a photo completely unaware a fast train was approaching in the other direction.
The selfie taken just seconds before the tragic incident sees headlights from the fast approaching train shining a bright yellow.
The teens tragically did not hear the horn blasting.
John Anderson, a train conductor working at the time, said: "They were in their own little world."
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Engineer Michael Anderson tried to get the attention of the three friends by blasting the train's horn, but to no avail.
"We watched in horror as we got closer," John heartbreakingly recalled. "We saw them for about 12 seconds until they disappeared from our sight and the train continued moving forward."
John sprinted to the track after the train came to a stop and found the first girl had no pulse.
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He also came to the realization the second teen was no longer alive, so headed over to Savannah.
She was badly hurt, but alive.
"I told her everything would be OK and she relaxed a little," the conductor reassured the teen.
"I hoped she would make it and for some reason I really thought she would."