Mom killed with 3 daughters in Brampton crash was teacher, board confirms
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Posted June 19, 2020 12:56 pm.
Last Updated June 19, 2020 3:11 pm.
The 37-year-old mother who died along with her three young daughters in a car crash in Brampton Thursday has been identified as Karolina Ciasullo, a teacher with the Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB).
In a tweet, the DPCDSB said Ciasullo was a Grade 4 teacher at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Elementary School.
“Our deepest condolences go out to her husband, other members of the family, friends and colleagues,” the board wrote.
“The flag at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Elementary School has been lowered as a sign of mourning. Our Tragic Events Team is available to assist any student or staff member who may need support during this difficult time.”
The DPCDSB community was saddened to learn of the tragic loss of life of Karolina Ciasullo, a Grade 4 teacher at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Elementary School, and her three children. Our deepest condolences go out to her husband, other members of the family, friends & colleagues. pic.twitter.com/PnrbRvQEod
— Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (@DPCDSBSchools) June 19, 2020
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said a Peel regional police cruiser was travelling westbound on Countryside Drive on Thursday when officers observed an Infinity heading eastbound.
Shortly after, the Infiniti was involved in a crash with the van carrying Ciasullo and her three daughters at the intersection of Torbram Road and Countryside.
The van also struck a light pole after the initial crash.
Ciasullo and her daughters, aged one, four and six years old, were all killed.
The driver of the Infiniti, a 20-year-old man, remains in hospital.
No other serious injuries were reported.
The SIU says they have assigned five investigators, three forensic investigators and a collision reconstructionist to the incident and have conducted over a dozen civilian witness interviews. The subject officer and a witness officer from Peel police have been designated as well.
Video footage has also been obtained.
Brampton’s mayor, Patrick Brown, said the collision was a senseless tragedy.
“There’s no word that can do justice to the magnitude of the loss,” he said. “I can’t even imagine. It’s Father’s Day this weekend, for that poor father who’s lost his lovely wife, his six-year-old daughter, his four-year-old daughter, his nine-month-old daughter. It makes your stomach churn.”
Premier Doug Ford also weighed in.
“It’s absolutely heart-wrenching,” he said. “Our prayers, our thoughts, are with you and your entire family. Justice will be served.”
On Friday mourners gathered at the site of the deadly crash.
Todd Collet taught with Ciasullo previously but they remained friends when she switched schools.
“Just shocked, just shocked,” he said. “There’s no words, there’s simply no words. She was a great, great girl. A phenomenal teacher, phenomenal person, phenomenal friend.”
“This is so tragic and it could have all been avoided and a beautiful family is no longer with us,” added Agatha Kwaterska. “There’s no words to describe what happened and the sadness that everyone feels.”
The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.
Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report