A 10-year-old girl was killed after a tree fell on her family’s home during a violent storm in Atlanta.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Saturday as a cold front swept through Georgia, bringing storms and heavy rain.
According to the Atlanta Fire Department, the tree had snapped in half and collapsed on the home in the city’s southwest neighborhood. Erica Dixon, a fourth-grade student at KIPP WAYS Academy, died in the incident, according to Atlanta News First.
The girl’s mother and grandmother both sustained injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital. Both are expected to recover.
Fire department officials said six people lived in the home and the American Red Cross has been contacted to assist the residents, whom officials did not identify.
Dixon’s 14-year-old sister, Akiylah Dixon, described the ordeal to the outlet: “The house just started shaking. Everything just crashed, and I just see my mama running through the hallway to get to my grandma,” she said. “I broke down really bad, because that wasn’t just my little sister. That was my best friend.”
In a written statement posted to X on Saturday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said: “This morning, we’re saddened by the tragic passing of this young girl as a result of last night’s storms. We ask that all Georgians join us in praying for her loved ones during this difficult time.”
Parts of the South and Midwest experienced severe storms earlier this month, which left at least 19 people dead after a series of historic rainfalls, flash flooding and strong winds.
At the time, 73 million people were under flood alerts, the National Weather Service reported.
The Independent has emailed the Atlanta Fire Department for information.
