The deadly collision occurred shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday on State Route 79 at Anza Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.
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Seven people were also hurt in the crash, according to investigators. Six patients were hospitalized with serious injuries, among them three children.
The Highway Patrol said the 33-year-old Jessica Nieto's Honda Pilot SUV was heading westbound when it drifted onto the dirt shoulder and then swerved into the opposing lane.
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Nieto attempted to pull the SUV back onto the roadway but over-corrected, sending the vehicle into the opposing lane, according to the CHP.
The Pilot then collided with an eastbound 2011 Chevrolet Silverado that was going between 55 and 60 mph.
The CHP said the 8-year-old victim was not wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 12-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl in the Honda suffered major injuries and were taken to Riverside County Regional Medical Center. Nieto was taken to Inland Valley Medical Center with major injuries.
Three people in the Silverado were also injured and taken to Inland Valley Medical Center. The driver, a 46-year-old man, and a 43-year-old woman suffered major injuries while a 12-year-old girl suffered minor
injuries, the Highway Patrol said.