Driver taken to hospital with serious injuries, but passed away on Friday

Say she may have been confused by two sets of tracks which converge

Officials believe she drove past crossing gate to make the parade in time

Her SUV was struck by an eastbound CSX freight train at about 6.45pm

The identities of a mother and her three children who were killed when a freight train smashed into their SUV just moments before their hometown's Halloween parade have been revealed.

Crystal Anna, 35, from Greenville, Illinois, was driving her family through Vandalia when their car was struck by the eastbound CSX train on the tracks on Main Street at 6.45pm on Thursday.

Investigators believe she drove past flashing signals and a crossing gate in a bid to get to the parade on time. However, her family have argued that she was blocked in by two other cars.

Following the smash, Ms Anna's 18-year-old daughter, Alyssa Sewell, 13-year-old son, Drake Wisnasky and 10-year-old daughter, Anna Wisnasky were pronounced dead at the scene.

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Tragic: Crystal Anna, 35, from Greenville, Illinois, and her three children, Alyssa Sewell (far right), Anna Wisnasky (second right) and Drake Wisnasky (far left) have died after a freight train smashed into their SUV

Devoted mother: Investigators believe Ms Anna (pictured, left, and, right, with her son Drake) drove past flashing signals and a crossing gate in a bid to get to the parade on time - a claim her family disputes

Paying tribute: Following the smash, 18-year-old Alyssa (left), 13-year-old Drake (center) and 10-year-old Anna were pronounced dead at the scene. Above, an online photo tribute to the three youngsters

Ms Anna was taken to St. Louis University Hospital with serious injuries and passed away at around 12.40pm on Friday, according to Fayette County Coroner Bruce Bowen.

Her nine-year-old son, Dylan Wisnasky, is currently being treated at a St. Louis hospital. His condition is unknown. It is believed he does not yet know about the fate of his siblings and mother.

Ms Anna, who also leaves behind her husband and 14-year-old son Dalton, who were not in the car at the time, was driving in a congested area of the town during heavy rain, Mr Bowen said.

But he added: 'The way it is set up, she still should have been able to see the train. I think she possibly was just trying to beat the train to get to the parade on time.'

Close: Ms Anna (pictured with Alyssa and Anna) was taken to St. Louis University Hospital with serious injuries and passed away at around 12.40pm on Friday, according to Fayette County Coroner Bruce Bowen

Proud mother: Alyssa (pictured with Ms Anna, also right) graduated from Greenville High School last year

Scene: Ms Anna was driving in a congested area of the town during heavy rain, Mr Bowen said. Above, the family's wrecked SUV, which was smashed into by an eastbound CSX train on the tracks on Main Street

Resident Ed Smith was smoking a cigarette on his patio near the track when the familiar rumble of an oncoming freight train turned into a loud metallic screech.

He told STL Today: 'I thought, "This can’t be good", because they don’t lock those train brakes up like that unless something's on the tracks.'

As the train approached, the vehicle's engineer tried to alert Ms Anna, including sounding the bell and whistle, said Mr Bowen. But it was unfortunately too late for the stricken driver and her family.

'The whole thing is just a terrible, terrible tragedy that's just unbelievable what this family is going to have to endure,' the coroner said.

Family: Ms Anna's son, Dylan Wisnasky (far left), nine, is currently being treated at a St. Louis hospital. His condition is unknown. The driver's husband and 14-year-old son Dalton (second right) were not in the car

Memorial: A teddy and flowers rest beside the railroad tracks in downtown Vandalia on Friday, October 31

Aftermath: Workers with CSX Transportation remove a damaged railroad crossing following the fatal crash

Differing opinions: Despite authorities' claims that Ms Anna drove around the crossing gate (pictured), resident Desiree Fischer, who witnessed the crash, insisted that the car was trapped at the crossing

Despite authorities' claims that Ms Anna drove around the crossing gate, resident Desiree Fischer, who witnessed the crash, insisted that the car was trapped at the crossing.

'She had been sitting for a few minutes off the tracks,' Ms Fischer told a reporter. 'The cars moved ahead of her. She pulled up to go over the tracks, and the car in front of her stopped.

'That’s when the lights started flashing and then boom, the train hit them.'

Ms Anna's cousin, Annie Lawrence, added: 'There was a car behind her, and a car in front of her. She did try to reverse it but the guard rails came down, and the train came through.'

Fatal: As the train approached, the vehicle's engineer tried to alert Ms Anna, including sounding the bell and whistle, said Mr Bowen. But it was unfortunately too late for the stricken driver and her family

Smash: 'The whole thing is just a terrible, terrible tragedy that's just unbelievable what this family is going to have to endure,' the coroner said. Above, rescue workers at the scene of the crash, that killed four people

'She was so cautious that I know she would not have tried to beat that train.'

Ms Lawrence told KSDK that her cousin's husband is now trying to figure out 'how to bury four people in one day' following the tragic incident.

A train camera recorded the crash. Although the footage is grainy and not of the best quality, it does not support contentions that she was blocked in by traffic, Vandalia Police Chief Jeff Ray said.

'It looked to me like the driver was completely unaware that a train was bearing down. She definitely wasn’t stuck in traffic,' he said.

Investigation: Authorities said they still need to interview multiple witnesses to determine what happened

Warning signs: Investigators say they believe warning lights and barriers were working at the time

Mr Ray added that two sets of tracks converge in the area where the accident happened, which can be confusing for out-of-town drivers and may have led to the crash.

Illinois State Police Master Sargent Shad Payne said an investigation has been launched. He added initial inquiries indicate the gates were down with lights flashing when the SUV drove on to the track.

Abby was in the fifth grade at Greenville Elementary School, Drake was in the seventh grade at Greenville Junior High and their half-sister Alyssa graduated from Greenville High School last year.

Scene: The crash site - at Sixth Street and Main Street in Vandalia - was just a block from the parade

One of Alyssa's friends, Will Florian, described the student as 'one of those stereotypical people who would brighten any room she entered'.

Vandalia's Halloween parade, featuring around a dozen marching bands and described by locals as the biggest annual event in the town, was situated a block from the crash. It still went ahead.