Six children and an adult have died in a horror road accident after the cramped five-seater car they were travelling in veered off a bridge and into a river.

The incident took place in the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes in the south-eastern Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro on the evening of 14th December.

The six youngsters in the car were all from the same family. Enzo Gabriel, 2, Kemilly Sophia, 6, Phandora, 8, and Ana Laisa, 4, were siblings, and Brunna Vitoria, 3, and Erick, 12, were their cousins.

Two teenage girls, 18 and 13, were also travelling in the vehicle and sustained only minor injuries. The former is Brunna’s mother and both were rescued and taken to hospital.

The driver, Adilson, was 45 years old and a family friend. The car was carrying nine people in total despite being a five-seater vehicle.

The bodies of six passengers were recovered from the accident scene on the same day. Ana Laisa’s body was found the following morning after she was declared missing.

The car reportedly crashed after the driver swerved to avoid a cyclist, causing him to lose control of the vehicle and veer off the bridge into a river.

The crashed vehicle was recovered on 15th December by the fire brigade and a team of divers.

According to relatives, Adilson was taking the family to spend the day at the Lagoa da Cima (Cima Lake), a popular bathing spot in the region.

Erick’s grandmother, Rita de Cassia, told local media that she was sleeping when her son called to give her the shocking news: “He said ‘Mum, another of my sons has died’. I went numb, I didn’t know where I was any more.”

Erick’s brother, Leonardo Barcelos, 14, drowned with a friend in an accident in the Ururai River in October.

It is unclear if the local authorities are currently investigating the accident.

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