A GoFundMe has been set up for the family of a Tumwater infant who died in a car fire Wednesday.
The 5-month-old child was killed when the vehicle they were in with their siblings became engulfed in flames.
According to the fundraising website, the funds collected are intended to help the family pay for funeral expenses and counseling for the siblings.
According to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO), a father and his three children —a 12-year-old, a 2-year-old, and a 5-month-old —were getting ready to leave their home in Tumwater.
As of Thursday, the GoFundMe has raised over $25,000.
According to police at the time of the incident, the children were sitting inside the running vehicle while their father quickly ran inside.
It’s unclear exactly what happened, but a short time later, smoke began filling the vehicle, Thurston County Sheriff’s Office said. When that happened, the 12-year-old was able to get their 2-year-old sibling out of the car before running inside to tell their father.
When the father returned, the car was fully engulfed in flames.
The father and the neighbors tried to put the fire out and save the child. The sheriff’s office said several people were burned in the rescue attempt.
Despite the best efforts of the father, neighbors, and rescuers, the infant died in the vehicle.
Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said it will be working with ATF fire investigators to determine what happened.