LAMAR COUNTY, Miss. — A quiet Friday night turned into heartbreak on Highway 42 when a head-on crash claimed three young lives and left a fourth fighting to survive.
Mississippi Highway Patrol officials said the collision happened around 8:33 p.m. on Feb. 13. A Ford F-150 driven by 18-year-old Aaron Page of Sumrall collided with a 2021 Toyota Camry driven by 23-year-old Courtney Michelle of Bassfield. Inside the Camry were two teenage passengers, 16-year-old Kaylee Whitehead of Bassfield and a 17-year-old from Carson.
The impact was devastating. Courtney Michelle, Kaylee Whitehead, and Aaron Page were all pronounced dead at the scene by the Lamar County Coroner’s Office. The 17-year-old passenger survived but was rushed to a hospital, where the teen remains in critical condition.
For those who knew Courtney, she was more than just a name in a news release. Friends describe her as warm and deeply devoted to her family. She showed up for people. She made time. That steady presence is now painfully absent.
Kaylee was only 16. Loved ones say she carried a bright, youthful spirit that could light up a room. She laughed easily. She dreamed big. Her loss feels especially heavy in a small community where everyone knows everyone.
Aaron Page, just 18, was also at the beginning of his adult life. His passing adds another layer of sorrow to a tragedy that has shaken families across multiple towns. Three households are now planning funerals instead of futures.
In the days since the crash, neighbors have come together in prayer and quiet support. The families of Courtney and Kaylee have created a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral expenses. The community continues to rally around them, holding tight to memories of two young women whose lives ended far too soon on a stretch of highway that will never feel the same again.
