Woman and her children, including one in a stroller, hit by car on Quebec road

SAINT-EPHREM-DE-BEAUCE, QUE. -- A woman and her two children, one of whom was in a stroller, were hit by a car Wednesday evening in Beauce, about an hour-and-a-half south of Quebec City.

The tragedy occurred around 5:45 p.m. as the victim was walking with her two young children along Route 108 East in Saint-Ephrem-de-Beauce, a small municipality of 2,381 inhabitants.

"All three people were hit by the vehicle," said Surete du Quebec (SQ) spokesperson Sergeant Beatrice Dorsainville.

Dorsainville said the mother in her 20s suffered serious injuries and is in critical condition.

The children's lives are not in danger, however, according to the SQ spokesperson.

"The two young children reportedly suffered minor injuries, but they were still transported to the hospital," she said.

According to the first information, which must be validated by SQ investigators, the driver who hit the family did not seem to see them, as there are no sidewalks at this location, according to the SQ.

"The driver of the vehicle was also transported to the hospital for a nervous shock," said Dorsainville.

The SQ confirmed Thursday morning that the victim is in the hospital and remains in critical condition.

-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 21, 2021.