Four-Year-Old Orphaned After Parents' Separate Fatal Crashes Hours Apart in Louisiana

Alexus Lee, 25, and her fiancé John 'JR' Collins, 35, both tragically died in separate car crashes just hours apart in Zachary, Louisiana, leaving their 4-year-old son Gabriel orphaned. Lee lost control of her SUV, which flipped after striking a culvert, and died at the scene; shortly after being notified, Collins was driving to her crash site when he lost control of his car, struck a tree, and also died at the scene. Neither was wearing a seatbelt, and investigations into their crashes remain ongoing. Family members described the profound grief and struggle to explain the loss to young Gabriel, who understands that his parents are 'asleep and with God.' Lee was a teacher and recent graduate, and the couple had just purchased a new home ahead of their planned wedding in February 2026. Loved ones and friends expressed deep sorrow, remembering the couple's love and the void their deaths have left.