The parents of three young children who died in a car crash north of Toronto say they're in shock and are calling it their "worst nightmare."

The children's mother, Jennifer Neville-Lake, told CP24 the news hasn't fully sunk in yet and she "can't believe they're never coming back."

Daniel Neville-Lake, 9, his brother Harrison, 5, and sister Millie, 2, died after the crash that took place Sunday afternoon in Vaughan, Ont. Jennifer Neville-Lake's 65-year-old father was also killed in the crash.

Daniel and Harrison were students at Brampton’s St. Joachim Separate School, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board confirmed Monday.

The family members were injured when a van and two SUVs collided at the intersection of Kirby Road and Kipling Avenue, shortly after 4 p.m Sunday.

All six occupants of the van were injured, police said. A 65-year-old man was found unconscious and not breathing, and succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Two women were taken out of the vehicle and rushed to hospital. They were treated for serious injuries and are expected to survive.

The children were treated in hospital for life-threatening injuries. One of them, 9-year-old Daniel, succumbed to his injuries on Sunday evening. The other two children were on life-support, but died early Monday morning, police sources told CTV Toronto's Tamara Cherry.

A third vehicle was also involved in the crash but its two occupants were not injured.

Police said 29-year-old Marco Michael Muzzo from King Township was the sole occupant of the black SUV. He suffered minor injuries, and was arrested at the scene on suspicion of impaired driving. He appeared in a Newmarket court Monday morning, and was charged with 18 offences.

Muzzo has been charged with:

  • Four counts of impaired driving causing death
  • Four counts of over 80 causing death
  • Four counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death
  • Two counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm
  • Two counts of over 80 causing bodily harm
  • Two counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death.

The accused appeared breifly in a Newmarket court on Monday. Muzzo did not speak in court, except to say his name and a few quiet words to his lawyer.

Muzzo's lawyer Rudy Covre would only say that his client is struggling.

"I'm sure you can appreciate that this is a very tough time for him," he said outside the courthouse after the hearing. 

"It's a difficult period in his life right now. We're going to have to get through it."

Meanwhile, hundreds of people moved by the tragedy sought to help the family by donating to an online fundraiser in their name on GoFundMe.com.

Police ask anyone who witnessed the crash to come forward and contact officers at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7704, or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

With files from CTV Toronto's Tamara Cherry, CTVNews.ca writer Kendra Mangione and The Canadian Press