Sarnia Police probing St. Clair River deaths

Source: Chatham Daily News

ONTARIO - Police say they are continuing to investigate a motor vehicle crash that claimed the lives of a 10-year-old Wallaceburg boy and his six-year-old sister.

Tyler and Taiya Talbot were killed Thursday when their southbound vehicle left the St. Clair Parkway near the Suncor curve and entered the St. Clair River.

The siblings' 48-year-old grandmother, Jane LaMarsh, and her 12-year-old daughter, Jenn LaMarsh, both of Wallaceburg, were able to escape the vehicle and make it to shore.

Officers are obtaining a search warrant for the seized vehicle, Const. Bill Baines said Wednesday.

A collision reconstructionist is also analyzing the evidence gathered at the scene.

Baines said it could be days or weeks before it's known what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway.

"It's obviously a single-vehicle crash where a vehicle ended up in the river, and our goal is to determine how and why that happened," Baines said.

"Other fatalities that we've had have taken months to sift through the evidence and piece it all together."

The four family members from Wallaceburg traveled to Sarnia to shop that day, Talbot's aunt has said.

Funeral services were held at Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Wallaceburg on Tuesday.

Baines called the crash tragic and said no charges have been laid.

"That will all come to light with the investigation, whether charges are warranted," he said.