A child has died, and a teen girl is in critical condition after a horror three-car crash near the border of South Australia and Victoria.

Emergency services rushed to the Riddoch Highway near Nangwarry, about 400km southeast of Adelaide, at 2.40pm.

The chaos started when a black Holden sedan collided with an emu, the police said on Sunday evening.

‘A black Holden sedan collided with an emu, with no injuries suffered by the female driver and sole occupant,’ the police said.

‘A grey Toyota station wagon braked to avoid the collision, while a white Nissan ute crashed into the rear of the Toyota.

‘Two occupants of the Toyota, a five-year-old boy died at the scene, while a 15-year-old girl was taken to hospital with critical injuries.

‘The driver, a 42-year-old man and two other passengers, a 46-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy were taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries.’

All the occupants of the Toyota were from Mount Gambier, the police added.

The driver of the Nissan, a 22-year-old man from Worrolong, was not injured but paramedics took him to hospital as a precaution.

Major Crash officers are now on scene investigating the circumstances of the crash.

The boy’s death marks s the 71st life lost on South Australian roads in 2024.

Road closures are in place and will be for most of the evening, the police said.