Mother, 2 kids severely injured after they 'darted' into path of SUV on Lakeland road, police say

LAKELAND, Fla. - A mother and her two children are in critical condition after being hit by an SUV in Lakeland. 

Lakeland police said 36-year-old Catherine DeClaire and her children, 11-year-old Emma and 8-year-old Sophia were hit on Socrum Loop Road just before 9 p.m. Sunday. 

Investigators said it appears the mother and two kids were crossing Socrum Loop Road, at Fernery Road. Socrum Loop is four lanes across with a median in between. A residential area and a church are to the west of Socrum Loop at Fernery Road and on the east side of the road is a gas station and a motel.

Lakeland police said the driver of a Ford Explorer was going south on Socrum Loop when the woman and her children "darted" onto the roadway. The driver tried to brake and avoid hitting them, but it was too late.

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Church near Socrum Loop Road where mother, children were hit by vehicle

Both children were airlifted to Tampa General Hospital and the woman was taken to Lakeland Regional Hospital. All had critical injuries, police said.

Alton DeClaire, the woman's husband and the father of the two kids, told FOX 13 that it was nothing short of a nightmare when he was told what happened. 

"This was like a nightmare. This can't be happening. You have to be kidding me. What happened? It was so shocking," Alton said.

He said his wife Catherine is conscious but has broken bones at Lakeland Regional. Emma and Sophia are at TGH with critical injuries, though Emma is still unconscious.

Candles placed in median on Socrum Loop Road where mother, children were hit

"She was not responsive at all," Alton said. "I asked, and they said she is not responding to anything. She is not responding to my voice. They said no she is only responding to pain."

Alton said the streets in the area are not pedestrian friendly and urges everyone to take great caution in how they cross. In this case, police do not believe that speed or alcohol were factors in the crash and no citations have been given. 

The driver involved was not injured in the crash, police said. The events leading up to the crash remain under investigation.