Nine children, one adult killed in road accident involving vehicle from Alabama home for girls

Nine children and one adult have died following a Saturday road accident in Alabama, according to Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock.

CNN reported that eight of those children, whose ages went from 4 to 17, were in a vehicle from the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, according to Garlock, while a 29-year-old man and his 9-month-old daughter in another vehicle also were killed. The ranch is a home for abused and neglected school-aged girls.

While the driver of the Girls Ranch bus was extracted from the burning vehicle, rescue workers could not reach the children in time. The man in the other vehicle was pronounced deceased at the scene, and the baby was transported to Regional Medical Center, but later pronounced dead. While the child was appropriately restrained in a car seat, Garlock said that the impact was too strong, officials said.

"This morning, I have been thinking about how we do not always understand the reason things happen," Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches CEO Michael Smith said in a statement, according to CNN. "However, we will continue to hold on to our God for peace and comfort as our hearts continue to break. Please continue to pray for us as we navigate this difficult time."