A grandmother who had beaten pancreatic cancer was decapitated by a bin lorry as horrified schoolchildren looked on in Santa Ana, California. Maria Rubalcava de Ruesga, 69, was crossing West Bishop Street near Pio Pico Elementary School when she was struck just after 7am on Wednesday.
The incident was witnessed by youngsters and families at the school, prompting the Santa Ana Unified School District to send in a crisis team to support them. The bin lorry driver reportedly cooperated with investigators and remained at the scene.
Officers received multiple calls about the collision and rushed to the scene alongside the Orange County Fire Authority. Ms de Ruesga was pronounced dead at the scene. She had been in remission for a year after battling pancreatic cancer, according to a GoFundMe campaign set up to cover funeral expenses.
'After battling pancreatic cancer and finally being in remission for a year, she was just beginning to feel like herself again,' the campaign said. 'Losing her so suddenly has left us in complete shock.' By Sunday evening, the fundraiser had raised more than $7,100.
