Coroner rules 3 Beavercreek family members drowned after crash in Kentucky

CARTER COUNTY, Kentucky — Three members of a Beavercreek family drowned after their SUV went down an embankment and crashed into a creek in Carter County, Kentucky last weekend, according to the Carter County, Kentucky Coroner’s Office.

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Jitu Galani, 41, Nitu Galani, 39, and their 4-year-old child, all from Beavercreek, were killed in the crash near Carter Caves State Resort Park in eastern Kentucky June 18. A preliminary Kentucky State Police investigation found Jitu was driving and missed the entrance to the park.

State police said the SUV became stuck after it dropped off the shoulder of the road. When Jitu tried to free the vehicle, it rolled into a culvert and landed on its top in a creek.

>> Photos: 3 members of Beavercreek family, including 4-year-old, killed in Kentucky crash

The preliminary cause of death for Jitu, Nitu and the 4-year-old were all ruled to be by drowning, the Carter County, Kentucky Coroner’s Office told News Center 7 Wednesday. The coroner’s investigation found the SUV flipped into five feet of water and led to the deaths of the three family members.

A full coroner’s office ruling will be released in four to eight weeks, a coroner’s office spokesperson told News Center 7.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 3 members of Beavercreek family, including 4-year-old, killed in Kentucky crash

The family’s son, previously identified as a 4th grader at Shaw Elementary in Beavercreek, was the sole survivor of the crash. The condition of the child was not immediately known.

A coroner’s office investigator previously said the Galani family planned to camp with friends overnight before continuing their drive home to Beavercreek after vacationing in Virginia Beach.

“They were the best people I’ve ever met,” Amber Sargeant, family friend told News Center 7 Tuesday.

“Jitu and Nitu would sit out under the tree by our house and the boys were outside playing, and we’d sit out there all summer long for three, four, five hours and just talk about everything,” Sargeant said.

Additional details were not released. We’ll continue to update this story as we learn more.

A family member has organized a GoFundMe page to help financially support the surviving son. To donate, you can click here.

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