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Reform, AL - Tuesday's flash flooding claimed the life of a Pickens County Mother and her 19-month old son. 27-Year Old Crystal Vaughn and litte Christopher-Malachi-Vaughn were driving along Antioch Church Road in Reform. A bridge they normally cross had been washed away by flood waters. It was dark and Vaughn didn't realize the bridge was gone. The S-U-V they drove nose-dived into the risen Buncomb creek, that was then more like a makeshift lake. Vaughn's sister and her sister's boyfriend had come looking for them after the mother and son had not made it to their destination. The sister and boyfriend's car also ended up in the creek, but they survived. Crystal and Christopher were later pronounced dead. Some people in the area expressed anger that they had complained the bridge was sinking and had issues. Pickens County Chief Engineer tells ABC 33-40 the bridge was inspected three days before Christmas and deemed safe by a county inspector. He says it was an uusal amount of rain that fell in a short period of time and the bridge was able to handle the load. But, the engineer insists he's not aware his office received any complaints. Some family members of the victims tell ABC 33-40, "We can't blame we can only trust it was in God's Hand."
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