JACKSON COUNTY — A head-on crash Tuesday in Jackson County has claimed the life of a 7-year-old girl who was a passenger in one of the two vehicles involved.

According to Corporal Ronald Stanton with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the girl succumbed to her injuries and died Tuesday evening in a St. Louis area hospital. Her name is not being released at this time.

The crash happened shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Union School Road at Skidmore Road in Ava.

The preliminary investigation shows 40-year-old Jennifer Bryant of Carbondale was going north on Union School Road while a 17-year-old female driver from Ava was going south on Union School Road. The two vehicles met at a hill crest near Skidmore Road and collided.

Bryant and the female driver had to be extricated from their vehicles. They both suffered major injuries. Bryant’s passenger, a 7-year-old girl, was also injured. All three were flown from the scene to St. Louis area hospitals.

Stanton says the name of the 17-year-old female driver is not being released at this time.

The investigation into the crash continues.