Relatives: Woman, man hit by train were likely homeless, she had legs amputated

Authorities have identified the man and woman hit by a train in Springfield earlier this week.

Lisa Islas, 31, and Samuel L. Loper, 38, were struck by the train near the intersection of Glenstone Avenue and Commercial Street Wednesday afternoon. Loper was found dead at the scene; Islas was taken to the hospital with what police characterized Wednesday as "serious injuries."

Reached by the News-Leader Friday, relatives of Islas said the two were likely homeless. They also said that she had to have both legs and part of a finger amputated, and has other injuries.

Jose Islas and Claudia Kehoe, siblings of Islas, told the News-Leader Friday that the pair were in a relationship.

Jose Islas said he doesn't know why the two would have been near the tracks.

"Nobody has any idea what they were doing out there," he said.

Springfield police spokeswoman Lisa Cox said Friday the department was still investigating whether the death and injuries stemmed from an accident or an attempt to commit suicide.

Kehoe said she believes her sister and Loper were living out of a van.

Jose Islas said his sister moved to the Springfield area a couple years ago from Texas after ending a relationship; she had two children. Loper also had three kids, Jose Islas believes.

Jose Islas and Kehoe said Lisa Islas is currently at Mercy Springfield hospital. In addition to the amputations, Lisa Islas broke all of her ribs on one side, in addition to other bones,  they said. She also suffered lacerations to her liver and a kidney and has swelling in her brain.

"She has no medical insurance, no nothing," Kehoe said. "She doesn't even have a home."

Adding to the family's pain, Jose Islas said, is that the trio's mother, Donna Hessee, was already at Mercy Springfield when Lisa Islas arrived Wednesday. Hessee is currently experiencing liver and kidney failure, he said. She has since been transferred to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

On Tuesday, Jose Islas set up a page on the website GoFundMe, hoping strangers would be willing to donate to pay for anticipated funeral expenses for his mother. Now he has broadened the scope of his plea.

"We've kind of modified it to include both of them," he said.

Police on the scene Wednesday said the medical examiner was conducting an investigation.

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