CONNOQUENESSING TOWNSHIP (KDKA) – Two children were killed when their mother’s SUV slid off of an icy roadway in Butler County on Wednesday morning.

Around 10 a.m., rain fell across the Pittsburgh area creating an icy layer on many local roads and making the commute a treacherous one.

“It took rescue workers and our personnel quite a period of time to access the children, but it appears as though nothing could have been done for them,” said Trooper Eric Hermick of the Pennsylvania State Police.

It was a horrific scene on the icy road in Connoquenessing Township. Inside the crushed Dodge SUV had been 32-year-old Elizabeth McCullough and her young sons.

“By far, this was the most tragic of the day,” Trooper Hermick said.

When McCullough crashed on Lower Harmony Road, also known as White Town Road, she called 911 from her cell phone. She said, “I’ve been in an accident. I think my children have been killed.”

“She had been sliding down the hill, went off to the right. When she hit the embankment partially, it kicked the car up on the driver’s side into a tree,” Trooper Hermick said. “The tree impacted right behind the… on the roof right behind the B pillar, which crushed the roof in on both children.”

Killed were 3-year-old Liam Bintrim and his brother, Declan McCullough, who would have celebrated his first birthday on Friday.

“They were properly seat belted in an infant’s chair and the child restraint device,” added Trooper Hermick.

Butler County police said Wednesday morning, there were 45 accidents within 15 minutes of each other.

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