Three girls have been killed and another one is fighting for her life after a hit-and-run crash in which a driver allegedly checked on the victims and then fled the scene.
The schoolgirls - identified by police as Willow Sanchez, 11, Daytona Bronas, 12, and Sandra Mizer, 13 - were walking on the side of Camp Rock Road, Lucerne Valley, when the incident happened.
The California Highway Patrol said the three girls and their friend Natalie Coe, 14, were hit by a car from behind on June 5.
Willow, Daytona and Sandra were pronounced dead at the scene, while Natalie was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Natalie's mum told that her daughter lost a leg in the incident.
According to witnesses, the driver and passenger got out and looked at the bodies before running away into the desert, WKYT reports.
The crash happened in a remote desert area of western San Bernardino County where there is no pavement, the Los Angeles Times reports.
California Highway Patrol Officer Dan Olivas said: "It’s pretty desolate out there, and there are hardly any shoulders at all."
Jessica Risler, vice president of Lucerne Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees, said two of the girls, including survivor Natalie, were in wheelchairs and found it difficult to move through the thick sand of the High Desert, which is why they were walking on the road.
She told the Daily Press: "They just got out for summer break, so this is their first opportunity to have sleepovers, hang out, play, just be children again after a year in lockdown."
Ms Risler paid tribute to the girls, describing them as "hearts of gold" who would "never let you sit alone at lunch, to not let you get bullied".
Peter Livingston, superintendent of Lucerne Valley Unified School District, said that Natalie is fighting for her life.
The girl, who is being cared for at Loma Linda hospital, opened her eyes for the first time since the collision on Sunday night, Mr Livingston added.
Officials have not released any information about the driver and the passenger of the vehicle which hit the girls.
According to the New York Post, the car involved in the crash was a 2002 Chevy Silverado.
It is not clear whether speed, drugs or alcohol played a role in the collision.
Police are now appealing for information from any witnesses who may have been in the area at the time of the crash.
