Overview
- A vehicle carrying a 45-year-old woman, her 22-year-old daughter, and a 2-year-old granddaughter went into the Seekonk River near the Taft Street boat ramp on Sunday evening and all three were later found dead inside the car.
- The submerged car was located and pulled from the river Monday after search teams suspended operations overnight because strong currents and poor underwater visibility made recovery unsafe.
- Pawtucket police say the incident appears to be a tragic accident with no signs of foul play and that preliminary checks showed the vehicle appeared to be in working order.
- Investigators reported the 22-year-old driver did not have a license or learner’s permit and family members said the 45-year-old had been teaching her how to drive when the car went into the water.
- The crash has prompted local mourning, a GoFundMe and a roadside memorial, and it has raised calls for a review of the boat-landing barrier gap and for attention to novice-driver safety in the area.