3 kids killed by carjacked SUV in North Philadelphia

TIOGA -- Three children are dead and their mother was among those who were seriously injured after a carjacking and crash in the Tioga section of North Philadelphia on Friday morning.

Two suspects are at large and are actively being sought by police. A $100,000 reward is being offered for tips that lead to their arrest and conviction.

The crash happened around 11:15 a.m. at the intersection of Germantown Avenue and West Allegheny.

Police say it began in the 600 block of Cumberland Street when a 45-year-old woman, a real estate agent who had just met with a client, was carjacked at gunpoint and forced into the back seat by two men.

Investigators say the Toyota SUV was being driven at a high rate of speed when a tire blew out and the SUV went out of control, hitting a group of people who were manning a fruit stand.

Police said they were selling the fruit to raise money for their church.

"The first thing I noticed was the kids, children, on the ground. Nobody was moving," said witness Renee Charleston.

Among the victims were a mother and her three children.

One of the children, a 10-year-old boy, was pronounced dead on the scene. Two other children were also killed: A 15-year-old girl who was pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital and a 7-year-old boy who was pronounced dead at Saint Christopher's Hospital for Children.

The mother of those children, a 34-year-old woman, is also hospitalized in 'extremely' critical condition.

The carjacking victim is in critical but stable condition at Temple. She was still in the vehicle when it crashed, police said.

Another adult among the injured was Thelma Brown, described as the 'matriarchal figure' of the neighborhood, who took the children to the corner to sell fruit every Friday. She is in stable condition at Hahnemann University Hospital.

Thelma's daughter, Tiawana Brown, was aghast over what happened.

"It's what they do every Friday. They go around the corner and sell the fruit every Friday for the neighborhood," Brown said. "The garden they were in is the community garden for the kids to go play."

Investigators say the suspects fled the scene on foot and are still being sought. Police used helicopters, dogs and officers on horseback in the search.

SUSPECT #1: Described as a black male wearing a white t-shirt.

SUSPECT #2: Described as a Hispanic male wearing a white t-shirt.

The city of Philadelphia raised the reward to $100,000 as the search for those suspects continued into Friday evening.

"I've been in the homicide unit for six years and this is one of the saddest cases that I've come across," said Capt. James Clark of the Philadelphia Police. "You have three innocent children who had the rest of their lives in front of them who were taken in this fashion. It is very sad and very tragic."

"We will find the individuals who are responsible for this."

In addition, police are urging any businesses with surveillance cameras that might have caught any activity between the carjacking scene at 6th and Cumberland and the crash scene at Germantown Avenue and West Allegheny to give them a call immediately.

"We have a tragedy here. We will use all the resources at our disposal to find the people responsible," said Commissioner Charles Ramsey.

"For you to hit a family, and get of a vehicle and run? You're a bunch of cowardly dogs!" said neighbor Joyce Fisher. "You need to turn yourself in!"

If you have information call Philadelphia Police at 215-686-TIPS (8477), text police at PPDTIP (773847) or submit a tip online at PhillyPolice.com.