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Suspects in deadly Philadelphia carjacking held without bail

The two men accused of carjacking a vehicle and then crashing into a family, killing three kids, have been captured and are being held without bail. 

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Matt Rourke/AP
Richard Starchia, left, Riconya Jackson, center, and her mother Tonia Jackson pay their respects Monday, July 28, 2014, at a makeshift memorial for three children who were killed by a hijacked car that lost control Friday and hit a group of people, in Philadelphia.
  • By Staff Associated Press

Two men accused of carjacking a woman in north Philadelphia and plowing into a family selling fruit on a street corner, killing three children, have been ordered held without bail.

The incident took place on Friday, July 25, and according to reports, during investigations over the weekend, authorities found breaks in the case when a cell phone was found a the scene by a civilian, and other civilians came forward with footage of the suspects fleeing the scene on foot.

Court documents show that 23-year-old Cornelius Crawford and 19-year-old Johnathan Rosa were arraigned early Tuesday on charges including murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, robbery, aggravated assault, and sexual assault.

Police announced the charges Monday, saying they believe the two forced a real estate agent into her sport utility vehicle and took off at high speed, only to crash about a mile away.

Killed were 15-year-old Keiearra Williams, 10-year-old Thomas Reed and 7-year-old Terrence Moore, who had been selling fruit for a church fundraiser. Their mother was injured, as were a friend who was nearby and the carjacked woman.

According to reports from a media briefing on Monday, Philadelphia Police captain James Clark called the incident “one of the saddest and most tragic” his investigators have seen and said that "As a result of that, everyone worked very hard for the last three days – night in and night out. No one wanted to go home, to make sure that we brought these individuals to justice, and we did that.”

In addition to the outpouring of community support in Philadelphia, former Philedelphia 76ers basketball player Charles Barkley has offered to pay for the funerals of the three girls killed.

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