Mom and baby killed in Highway 87 San Jose crash mourned
Dec 04, 2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) -- A family is mourning a mother and her baby who were killed in a fiery four-car crash on Highway 87 Tuesday in San Jose.
Two of the vehicles tangled in the collisions were Teslas that burst into flames on the busy highway just before 11 a.m., the California Highway Patrol
said. Ivana Balistreri, 29, and her 1-year-old baby, Lilliana, were passengers in a Lexus that also caught fire, according to family and investigators.
The mother and baby died, while the the Lexus driver and a Tesla driver were hospitalized, CHP officials said.
"Our hearts were shattered when Ivana Balistreri and her beautiful baby girl, Lilliana, were tragically killed in the Highway 87 accident involving a Tesla. Losing them has destroyed our family in a way words can barely express," a GoFundMe page created by the mother's sister and cousin states.
"Ivana was truly one of the purest spirits we have ever known. She never judged, never gossiped, and loved everyone around her with her whole heart. Baby Lilliana -- our sweet Lilly Bean --brought so much joy in her short time here. Her smile, her sweetness, and her light will stay with us forever," the page states.
The GoFundMe page is raising donations for the mother and baby's funerals, as well as asking anyone with videos of the collision to help with the investigation.
The cause of the deadly crash is under investigation, CHP officers said. Alcohol and drug impairment are not believed to be factors.
Any witnesses with information or videos in connection to this crash are asked to contact the CHP San Jose Office at 408-961-0900.
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