Young mom killed by falling tree while sheltering child

A tornado slammed a southwestern Louisiana town on Saturday, killing a young mother who was sheltering her child and injuring 11 other people.

More than 100 homes were damaged or destroyed, authorities said, and about 1,500 people were evacuated because of natural gas leaks.

Ms Maxine Trahan, a spokeswoman for the Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office, said 21-year-old Jalisa Granger was killed when a tree fell on her house.

"She sheltered the child to protect her from the storm and a tree fell on the house and it killed the mother but the child was okay," Ms Trahan said, adding that a relative who lived nearby found them.

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