Mother, 38, and her son, 8, died in their sleep as tornado swept through Alabama

A mother and her young son were killed early Wednesday morning when a tornado swept through their Alabama neighborhood.

Chiquita Broadnax, 39, and her eight-year-old son Cedarrius Tell were killed in their beds when a tornado toppled a pine tree onto their mobile home in the Flatwood community of northern Montgomery County.

The couple reportedly slept in the same bed when an EF-2 tornado swept past their home in the middle of the night.

Cedarrius’ father, Cedric Lamar Tell, was also in the house and trapped under the rubble. He was later taken to hospital where he underwent surgery for his injuries and is expected to survive.

The storm that crashed nearby was just one of dozens of tornadoes to touch down in four southern states Tuesday night — at least 23 are reported to have touched down.

Cedarrius and his father, Cedric Lamar Tell. Cedric was also in the house when the tree fell on it. He was injured and has been hospitalized but is expected to survive

The house where Chiquita and Cedarrius perished when a tornado dropped a tree on them

A relative of Chiquita and Cedarrius said they were probably sleeping together when the tree fell on their house.

“The tree fell in the middle of the bed as they slept. It fell on the woman and child,” family member Norman Bennett said ROAD 31.

According to neighbors, they came out of their homes after the tornado passed and heard Cedric screaming. Bennett said Cedric was trapped under the rubble and he couldn’t if his family was okay.

‘He screamed. ‘Find my darling. Find my baby,” Bennett said.

The victims’ home was next to the Flatwood Community Center (above), which was razed to the ground in the story

A building destroyed by the EF-2 tornado that swept through the Flatwood community

During this week’s tornadoes, a church steeple was ripped from the building below

The victims’ home was next to the Flatwood Community Center, which was razed to the ground in the story.

The center’s director, Chenita Staley, said she fondly described them to AL.com.

“He’s been coming every summer for at least three, four years,” Staley said of Cedarrius. “As sweet as he can be. He was quiet, but got along with everyone. He loved his dinosaurs.’

“She used to bring stuff for the kids, ice cream and popsicles,” she said of Chiquita. “She said it’s hot here, so she always brought stuff for the kids. Just a nice person, nice personality.’

An apartment complex in Eutaw, Alabama, that was destroyed by a tornado Tuesday evening

Tuesday evening a huge thundercloud passed over the south. At least 23 tornadoes touched down

The National Weather Service said winds from the tornado reached about 115 miles per hour.

Several others were injured in the storms across the county, but no other deaths were reported.

Montgomery City-County Emergency Management Agency director Christina Thornton described some of the devastation she saw in the region as harrowing.

“It definitely looks like a little community has been wiped off the map,” she told FOX Weather on Wednesday. “It’s really awful to think about when you look across the field, and you know there were houses on your way to work the day before, and when you leave work they won’t be there.”