'Miracle' toddler survives fatal Alaska crash that killed parents

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A Fairbanks couple was killed and their 2-year-old daughter survived with multiple broken bones after a head-on crash on the Parks Highway in Trapper Creek, Alaska.

Dig deeper:

The crash happened Oct. 19 near mile 115, in front of the Three Bears Gas Station. Alaska State Troopers said a black 2018 Subaru Forester driven by Sasha Hart, 38, crossed the center line while traveling south and collided with a northbound white 2008 Ford F-250.

Hart and her husband, David Hart, 41, were pronounced dead at the scene. Their daughter, Paige, was taken to an Anchorage hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

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What they're saying:

The Hart family told KTUU that Paige suffered six broken bones in the crash and is recovering. David Hart’s sister, Shery Elterman-Hart, called the toddler a "miracle" during an interview with the station.

"You still have a piece of them, a living piece of them still on Earth," David’s sister Katie Ragsdale told KTUU.

Family members said Sasha and David had recently celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary and had built a life together in Fairbanks. They enjoyed traveling, watching hockey and sharing food, but relatives said their daughter was their entire world, according to KTUU. 

What's next:

The Parks Highway was closed for about five hours after the crash, though traffic was detoured through the Three Bears parking lot. The investigation remains ongoing.

The Source: Information in this story came from the Alaska State Troopers, who provided details about the Oct. 19 crash, the vehicles involved, the deaths of Sasha and David Hart, their toddler’s injuries and the highway closure. Additional details about the family, including the toddler’s six broken bones and relatives’ comments, came from an interview with the Hart family published by KTUU/Alaska’s News Source. This story was reported from Los Angeles.