Mom, son critically hurt after SUV crashes into Aurora pond

AURORA, Ill. (WLS) -- Police say a SUV plunged into a retention pond in west suburban Aurora after it collided with a car, injuring a mother and her two children.

The crash occurred on North Edgelawn Avenue just north of West Sullivan Road around 5 a.m. Wednesday, police said. A 2003 GMC Envoy allegedly sped out of a business parking lot, hit a northbound Toyota Scion sedan waiting to turn into the lot and continued east into the retention pond, police said. The SUV went into the water about 50 yards offshore.

A police officer rescued a 7-year-old girl from the pond with help from another officer and someone who saw the crash. The pond was deeper than usual after days of heavy rain.

"The vehicle was completely submerged in water by the time the officer showed up. He saw the little girl out there, trying to stay afloat. He immediately took off his duty belt - anything that was weighing him down - swam out and got the little girl," said Dan Ferrelli, spokesman for Aurora police.

The girl's 31-year-old mother and 9-year-old brother were in the water for more than 30 minutes before divers could pull them out.

The girl was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, but her mother and brother are both in critical condition. The 35-year-old man driving the Scion was not hurt.

The Envoy was pulled from the pond around 6:15 a.m.

As the family tries to recover, police continue to investigate the speed of the vehicle and other factors that may have led to the accident.

"This is a very complicated investigation there are a lot more questions than answers right now," Ferrelli said.