3 teens killed in Christmas night crash in Alabama

GENEVA, Ala. - Three 16-year-olds were killed and a fourth was seriously injured when a vehicle left a road and ran into trees on Christmas night in south Alabama, authorities said Thursday.

The dead were all cheerleaders at Geneva High School, said Geneva County Coroner Donny Adkinson.

The police chief posted on social media asking for prayers, and a church opened its sanctuary to the grieving community.

“It’s just awful,” said Adkinson.

Geneva, a town of about 4,400 people, is located near the Florida line more than 100 miles south of Montgomery.

Adkinson said Addyson Martin, Emilee Fain, Cassidy Dunn and two other friends had been together for Christmas at someone’s home and were headed elsewhere in small sport-utility vehicle that left a road and crashed into trees.

Martin, Fain and Dunn all died at the scene, Adkinson said. “The three that were deceased were in the front seat of the car,” he said.