Boy stayed by mom's side 12 hours after she died in crash, California officials say

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. -- A 7-year-old boy stayed by his dying mother's side for hours after surviving a car crash.

California Highway Patrol officers say a mother lost control of her Subaru Crosstrek while leaving a friend's house and heading home to Tollhouse. She swerved off Highway 168 at Qualls Prather Road in Auberry.

"Vehicle traveled off the embankment, rolled over multiple times," said one first responder.

Officers said the driver and her 7-year-old son were both thrown from the car. The mother died, and her little boy stayed by her side for roughly 12 hours before he was found.

"We got a call of a child walking on the four-lane section of the 168 and the parties who found the child basically walked down to where the crash had happened," said CHP officer, John Marsh.

The CHP had been looking for the pair since loved ones reported they were expected to return home after midnight but still hadn't shown up by 8:45 a.m. Sunday. A "be on the lookout" alert went out, and the little boy was spotted just before noon.

Officer Marsh said they later discovered the Subaru had fallen nearly 200 feet off an embankment.

"It was basically sitting in a grove of trees, covered and not visible from the highway," said Marsh.

Authorities believe both the mother and son were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.

"He said he was in a car seat that he did not fall out of," said a first responder.

The 7-year-old was taken to Valley Children's Hospital, where he was treated for several wounds, including a broken arm.

Authorities said the child was reunited with his father at the hospital.

First responders say the 7-year-old is a strong little boy. We're told he is in high spirits given the circumstances.

This crash is still under investigation. The California Highway Patrol is still waiting for the toxicology report to see if alcohol or drugs were a factor.