KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Police say a mother intentionally drove herself and her twin daughters into the Kalamazoo River Monday night, where they were later found dead.
Police have now identified the three victims as Ineza McClinton, 44, Angel Iyonah McClinton, 9, and Faith McClinton, 9. The bodies of the mother and one of her 9-year-old daughters were located late Monday -- along with the vehicle. The Michigan State Police Dive Team recovered the second daughter's body around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, and the black Chevy Impala was removed from the lake shortly after.
"A lot of people are suffering in this community because of this," said Kalamazoo Dept. of Public Safety Chief Karianne Thomas. "I just can't even imagine what the family is going through. It's just heart breaking"
According to a release from KDPS, the incident started around 10:45 p.m., June 17, near the Walgreens at Riverview Drive and Gull Road. Police received reports of two distraught young girls searching for their uncle just blocks away from where the mother had driven into the river.
The girls, who were under the age of 10, told officers that they had been in the car with the mother and her twins before the woman drove the vehicle into the river. Police could not say how exactly the two young witnesses were related to the McClinton and her daughters.
Crews began looking for a possible area where this could have occurred. Not long after the investigation began, a boat squad found the vehicle near the boat launch at Verburg Park off E Paterson St.
"Everyone is struggling with something, so take that moment to show people compassion and maybe we can avoid tragedy in the future," Thomas said.
Anyone who may have information regarding this investigation is asked to call Kalamazoo Public Safety at 269-488-8911 or Silent Observer at 269-343-2100 or www.kalamazoosilentobserver.com.
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