Grandmother of previous Blair student dead in fatal accident

One woman died, and two children are in critical condition after being injured in a fatal car accident in Wheaton on Sunday, Nov. 28, according to police. The victims of the crash were relatives of a previous Blair student.

Of the seven passengers in the car, Anna Gibson, 55, grandmother of previous Blair student Garisson Gibson, was the only person who died in the crash. Four of Gibson's younger cousins were also in the car at the time, and two are now patients at Children's Hospital in D.C., according to Gibson. The other two cousins suffered serious injuries. The 4-year-old suffered a cracked skull while the 7-year-old received 50 stitches for a slashed throat, said Gibson. Other injuries include an aunt and another cousin who both suffered broken legs. The two remaining passengers were not severely hurt.

The family was returning from church, and, according to Montgomery County police, the car pulled onto Arcola Avenue and subsequently hit a tree. The police still have not been able to determine how fast the car was traveling or whether seatbelts or child safety seats were used at the time.

This summer, Gibson, who lived with his grandmother on the 700 block of New Hampshire Avenue, moved to Minnesota to live with his mother. He returned in the beginning of November, however, and was in the process of re-registering at Blair.

Gibson was very close to his grandmother and will miss her dearly. "She was more than my grandmother," said Gibson. "I considered her a friend."

Anna Gibson's funeral is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 18.