PICKENS – Many in the Pickens community are in mourning following a traffic accident Friday that took the life of a Department of Social Services worker and a child in the agency’s custody.

“Our hearts are heavy, and our sympathies go out to all the families involved,” said state DSS director Lillian Koller following the accident.

School district officials confirmed Monday that the 10-year-old child, Raven Alania Stancell, was a student at Ambler Elementary.

“We are very sad about the loss of one of our precious Ambler children, 3rd grader Raven Stancell,” said Carlton Lewis, principal of the school.

“We ask everyone to remember her brothers in the hospital and all families involved including the family of Crystal Harrison, the DSS social worker who passed away,” he said.

Prior to attending Ambler, Stancell went to Crosswell Elementary, where staff and students are also mourning her loss, according to district spokesperson Julie Thompson.

“Raven had been a student at Crosswell Elementary from 4K through part of second grade,” Thompson said. “She left Crosswell in late spring of last year.”

Crosswell’s principal Traci Boyles described the 10 year old as “a beautiful girl with a sweet spirit and caring heart.”

“We were blessed to have her as a part of our school for the past five years,” she said. “Our hearts go out to her family and to the other community affected by this tragedy.”

“We also wish to express our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of Crystal Harrison, she added.”

Harrison was a foster care worker with Pickens County DSS for about six years, according to their director Keith Frazier.

“She was an awesome worker,” he said. “The kids loved her and the parents worked well with her. She always did things by the book.”

“She will truly be missed,” he said. “We will never be able to replace her. She was one of the best workers we’ve ever had.”

Harrison left behind a husband and two children, Frazier said.

The DSS office in Pickens will be closed on Friday so employees can attend her funeral service, he said.

Services for Stancell will be held on March 9 at the Westville Funeral Home in Greenville, at 2 p.m., according to state DSS officials.

Services for Harrisson will be held at the Adams Funeral Home in Seneca, on March 11 at 11 a.m., they said.

Two funds were set up at a local Carolina First Bank in memory of the two.

Funds for Harrison will be used to fund her childrens’ education, officials said; andStancell’s fund will be shared with her brothers, who were severely injured in the wreck.

Individuals interested in contributing to those funds can contact any Carolina First Bank under the names of Chrystal Harrison and/or Raven Stancell.