WESTFALL TOWNSHIP -- A 6-year-old girl was killed in a crash on Interstate 84 near Matamoras in Pike County.
Troopers believe the child was riding unrestrained Monday in the back seat of a car driven by her mother who failed to notice traffic that was stopped because of construction.
Brooke Piemonte was a kindergarten student at Wallenpaupack North Primary School near Hawley. Her teachers and classmates were told Tuesday morning that the child didn't survive the crash.
There are just skid marks, spray paint, and some debris left where a crash took the life of a 6-year-old girl. It happened Monday afternoon on Interstate 84 a few miles from the New York State line.
Brooke Piemonte of Lackawaxen was in the back seat unbelted when troopers say her mother failed to see the vehicles stopped for construction and crashed into the back of an SUV.
Brooke was rushed to the hospital where she died. Her mother Tammy Mathisen of Lackawaxen wasn't badly hurt.
The girl's school is left hurting.
"It's a tragedy to see someone so young and so beautiful lost," said Principal Anthony Cavallaro.
Brooke Piemonte was in kindergarten at Wallenpaupack North Primary School near Hawley. There was a moment of silence in the morning, then counselors met with boys and girls in her class, and parents were contacted.
"My heart goes out to the family, so devastating to hear something like that, it's so quickly, life can change. It's a heartbreaker," said Dawn Cykosky of Greentown.
Mathisen's car is being held at a tow company near Milford while state police investigate the deadly crash
Grief counselors will be available to anyone who needs them at Brooke's school.
"We knew Brooke pretty well. She always had a beautiful smile on her face. This is hard for all of us to take," said Cavallaro.
State police say there's nothing to indicate Brooke Piemonte was wearing a seat belt. Her mother, however, was wearing a seat belt when the deadly crash happened.
