3 killed as van rolls down hill into Conn. pond; lone survivor in critical condition

A 6-year-old boy was the lone survivor of a minivan that rolled into a pond, trapping him and three others for up to 25 minutes before police divers were able to pull them out. The boy was in critical condition Thursday.

The minivan's driver, Michelle McIntosh, had gotten out of the van and chased it, screaming for help, as it rolled 60 or 70 yards down a steep hill at a park near her home Wednesday, police said. She jumped in the van just before it went in the water, police said. She and two other children, including her son David, were killed, police said.

"It's a real tragedy for a family in Bridgeport," Mayor John Fabrizi said. "A day of sorrow for all Bridgeporters."

The four victims were trapped in 15 to 20 feet of water for 20 to 25 minutes before members of the Bridgeport police scuba team pulled them out. Rescuers tried to revive them before they were taken to hospitals, where they died.

The chief medical examiner's office identified McIntosh and her son late Wednesday, but did not identify the other children. Police said all three children were younger than 7.

The 6-year-old boy who survived was in critical condition at Yale-New Haven Hospital, hospital spokesman Mark D'Antonio said Thursday.

Fire Battalion Chief Ismael Pomales said McIntosh apparently had gotten out of the van to ask directions to a holiday barbecue, but police would not confirm that Wednesday night. He said people nearby tried unsuccessfully to stop the van, and that fire personnel were not able to reach those trapped inside.

"It's horrible," Pomales said. "We've had children die before. That's probably one of the toughest things for any rescue person to deal with."

Blanch Arpie, a neighbor, called the McIntoshes a close-knit family.

"It's breaking my heart," Arpie said. It's just horrible."