A 4-year-old boy from Baton Rouge has been left orphaned after both of his parents died in separate tragic car accidents within hours of each other early Friday morning.
Alexus Lee, 25, and her fiancé, John “JR” Collins, 35, had recently purchased a home and were planning their wedding for February 2026. Their dreams were cut short when each was involved in a fatal crash less than two hours apart.
According to Louisiana State Police, Lee was driving northbound on LA 67 near Lemon Road in Zachary shortly after 2 a.m. when she lost control of her Toyota Highlander. The SUV struck a culvert and overturned. Lee, a STEAM Academy teacher in Clinton and mother of one, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Upon learning of the crash, Collins rushed to the area. Around 3:45 a.m., while driving southbound on LA 67 near Idlewild Road, he lost control of his Chevrolet Camaro, veered off the road, and crashed into a tree. Collins also died at the scene.
Neither Lee nor Collins was wearing a seatbelt at the time of their accidents. Authorities are continuing to investigate both crashes.
The couple leaves behind their 4-year-old son, Gabriel, now orphaned.
“I love them, and I’m going to miss them both,” said Collins’ father, Arthur Collins. “But I’ll find the strength to carry on.”
Their families, holding back tears, remembered the couple’s deep love for each other. Collins’ mother, Sandra, reflected on her son’s devotion: “He loved Alexus just as much as everyone else who knew her. To know her was to love her.”
Alexus’s sister, Dominque Lee, added, “Losing Alexus feels different. It’s like a part of me is gone.”
Gabriel, their young son, is trying to process the loss. “He understands what happened, but he’s struggling to grasp that we can’t talk to them or see them,” Sandra Collins shared. “He knows they’re asleep and with God.”
Lee, a recent graduate of Southern University, was passionate about education. Collins, a truck driver, had a deep love for sports cars and family life.
Despite the heartbreak, the families are committed to giving Gabriel a strong, loving future.
“Even though they left a child behind, we have a strong support system,” said Arthur Collins. “Both families will come together, and we’ll do whatever it takes to give him a good life.”
A joint celebration of life for Lee and Collins is scheduled for Wednesday.
