Parking Lot Horror In Georgia

Authorities say three young children and their mothers were hit by a car in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant in Covington, Ga., Tuesday, where one witness describes the driver as having had a smile on his face.

A 2-year-old girl is in critical condition and two boys, ages 3 and 4, are in stable condition. Their mothers, ages 33 and 36, are sisters are also listed in stable condition.

Police say Lanny Barnes, 46, is in custody facing charges including five counts of aggravated assault, with a court hearing set for Wednesday.

Police don't yet know how or why the car hit the children and their mothers.

Assistant Police Chief Almond Turner said early on that "all indications are" that Barnes "intentionally hit" the victims.

CBS Station WGCL-TV Correspondent Ryan Deal says police are now backing away from that statement.

"We don't know that it was intentional," Cotton told WGCL-TV. "But we do know at this early stage that there was no relationship, there was no prior contact between this gentleman and the victims so, what's the intention? That's our question."

According to one account, said Cotton on "it looked like he was trying to pull into the parking space that was available right in front of the front door, but he didn't quite make the turn, struck a vehicle, backed up, then pulled in and pulled up on the curb where he actually struck the victims."

The victims are identified as Anita King, 36, of North Carolina and 2-year-old daughter Avery Nicole King; and Stephanie Casola, 33, of Covington and her children, Jacob Paul, 4, and Isaac Raymond, 3.

The children were airlifted to Children's Healthcare Hospital in Atlanta, about 30 miles away, and the women were taken to Newton Medical Center in Covington.

Barnes' mother, Mary, told The Associated Press her son has battled mental illness.

"He's been suffering with depression for years," she said. "Lord have mercy."

Police say witnesses described the car - a green Honda Accord - running over a curb as the victims left the restaurant, then hitting them and the building before backing up and hitting them again.

Ryan Boldman-Snyder, 20, an employee at the McDonald's, says he was on a break outside when he heard screaming and saw Barnes, who he describes as "smiling the whole time."

Witnesses tried to pull Barnes out of his car in the restaurant parking lot. Boldman-Snyder says police officers finally pulled Barnes out of the car - from the passenger side front door.

McDonald's area franchise manager Bill Hall said the company is deeply saddened.

"Our prayers are with the victims, the children, and their families," Hall said. "We are cooperating fully with the authorities as they investigate."