Pregnant 19-year-old Katarina Morrison killed in a car accident

Katarina Morrison had much to look forward to.

At 19, the young woman from Media was anticipating giving birth to the baby she was carrying, graduating from a beauty school in September, and marrying the father of her baby.

But her dreams of a bright future were shattered early Monday when the small car in which she and two other women were riding was rammed by a street-sweeping vehicle on a Maryland road near Baltimore and burst into flames.

The three women and Katarina's unborn child were killed instantly, police said.

Although the Baltimore County Medical Examiner's Office has not officially identified the victims, pending examination of dental records, the families were given the names by police officers later on Monday.

Baltimore County police spokesman Cpl. Mike Hill said authorities were "99.9 percent" sure of the identifications of the victims, but could not definitely say so without the medical examiner's permission.

Killed with Katarina were Lori Cardwell and her daughter, Darlene Cardwell, of Aston Township, police told the families.

Katarina and the Cardwells were heading home from a visit to Fort Knox, Ky., where they attended the graduation of Katarina's fiance, Chantz Green, also 19, from Army basic training.

Lori Cardwell was a surrogate mother for Green, who is also from Aston, their families said.

It had been a happy occasion that ended tragically when the Chevrolet Aveo the women were in was struck by the large street-sweeper at Honeygo and White Marsh boulevards, in White Marsh, Md., at about 5 a.m.

The small car immediately burst into flames, police said.

"They drove into the path of a street-sweeper vehicle that hit it in a T-bone fashion, forcing it down the road for about 100 yards," Cpl. Hill said.

The sweeper was part of a fleet of J&M Sweeping Services. Police said the driver had just finished a job in Towson, Md., and was returning to the garage.

Katarina graduated from Penncrest High School in 2008. Her fiance is also a Penncrest graduate. They met in high school.

She is survived by her mother, Tracy Morrison, and a sister, Gabriella McNulty, 13.