Off The Record
Family Road Trip Turns Fatal — Mom and Four Kids Killed While Heading to See Husband
As loved ones from two states lament the heartbreaking news, a widower in Georgia is mourning the unfathomable loss of his entire family, including his wife and four small children, in a fatal vehicle accident.
Car accidents are typically terrifying, but when people die, they become even more heartbreaking. However, the Dougan family’s narrative is simply incomprehensible.
Reagan Dougan, 27, was driving her children, a 3-month-old infant, a 4-year-old boy, a 2-year-old girl, and a 9-year-old boy, down I-95 South in McIntosh County, Georgia, on Sunday, April 6, 2025, at around 6 a.m.
Like any family on a road trip, there were chaotic moments and noise, but there was also a strong sense of unity. Then all of a sudden, a horrible thing occurred. Reagen struck another car with his rental SUV. Reagan and her four children perished at the scene when her Jeep Cherokee caught fire.
The Dougan family had been traveling to Florida to meet her spouse, Christian.
According to the authorities, Reagan hired the SUV from Raleigh, North Carolina, for the trip.
Christopher Ashdown, a Georgia State Trooper, told the Associated Press that the SUV was traveling at a high speed when it collided into the back of a white Infiniti sedan. According to a witness, the car struck the center barrier before catching fire.
The driver of the other car made it to the hospital after surviving. For four hours, the highway was closed while investigators looked into the crash. Investigations are still ongoing to determine what caused the crash.
”A very loving and kind person”
The news of the family’s deaths has shocked both the Raleigh neighborhood they just moved to and the Florida community they were visiting.
Christopher “Jonesy” Butler-Jones, a friend of the family, spoke through tears to WTVD: ”I’m still in shock. [Her husband] lost his entire family. It’s just heart-wrenching.”
Jonesy described Reagan as a devoted mother whose greatest dream was to raise a happy, thriving family. ”That was one of her dreams, is to always have an amazing family and be a mother. She was very dedicated. Her kids were everything to her.”
He remembered her not only as a loving mom but also as the kind of friend who could light up your darkest days. ”If you’re upset, you can call her and she’s going to make you happy,” he said. ”She’s going to show you the brighter side of it.”
A community in mourning
Neighbors in Raleigh are struggling with the unexpected death of a family they had only recently come to know. Jason Flores, a neighbor, told WRAL:
”We always waved to each other. She always had a smile on her face. The kids were always happy. Their food always smelled good when they cooked it.”
The family left a lasting impression despite their brief stay. In their front yard, children were frequently observed laughing, climbing trees, and playing outside.
Sarah Stoltman, Christian’s stepmother, started a GoFundMe page to assist with paying for the funeral and shipping the family’s remains to Florida.
At the time of writing, the campaign has raised almost $88,000 of its $120,000 goal.
“While Christian works with his and Reagan’s family to begin mourning these five beautiful souls, we cannot even fathom the financial burden it is going to endure moving his family from Georgia to their final resting place in Florida,” Stoltman wrote.
Reagan and her kids will have a “dignified farewell” thanks to the charity.
💘🫶🏼I promise carter was laughing before and after this 🤣
Posted by Reagan Dougan on Sunday, August 11, 2024
Both friends and complete strangers have been posting tributes on social media.
Photographer Katrina Cusatis, who had captured maternity photos for the Dougan family last fall, shared her heartbreak on Facebook: ”My heart is completely broken over this unimaginable tragedy. Their love, joy, and connection were truly unforgettable.”
She urged people to pray for Christian and support the family in any way they could. ”If you feel led, there is a GoFundMe to support them during this time.”
Reagan’s friend, Cecily Corinne Borquez, posted a childhood photo of them together, writing, ”You were such an amazing friend, the life of the party, an absolute blast to be around, and all around one in a million. How something so tragic could happen to someone so incredible, I’ll never understand. You’ll never be forgotten.”
A Legacy of Love
Everyone who knew the Dougan family has been forever changed by their loss. Reagan is characterized by friends as a light—a woman who lived a happy life, loved sincerely, and mothered with all of her heart.
In the words of her friend Jonesy, ”There was a very warm, comforting feeling around her. It kind of allowed me to start seeing that there is going to be a light at the end of the tunnel.”
I’m sending my prayers for everyone affected by this terrible incident!
To all who knew and loved Reagan and her children, may that light—the love they brought into the world—remain bright.
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