Girls killed after being mown down by mom-of-two who plowed into after-school club... as driver remains free
Marianne Akers's black Jeep rammed straight through the YNOT Outdoors Summer And After School Camp in Chatham, exiting the other side of the building about 3.20pm on Monday.
Kathryn Corley and Alma Buhnerkempe, both seven, Ainsley Johnson, eight, and Rylee Britton, 18, died from blunt force trauma injuries, the coroner said. Six other children were injured, one of whom is still in critical condition. Two of them were identified as Mia and Emma.
Three of the victims were hit by the Jeep as they stood outside the building, while the fourth person who died was inside the building, police said.
The six injured children were rushed to hospital, including one with injuries so severe they had to be airlifted for treatment.
'Postmortem procedures done today indicate that they all died from multiple blunt force injuries sustained in the incident,' Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon said.
Akers is understood to have crashed her car into the east side of the school facility with such force that it burst out the other side seconds later.
'The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but this does not appear to be a targeted attack,' Illinois State Police said.
After the shocking incident Akers, 44, was filmed in handcuffs wearing a dark gray T-shirt. She was uninjured despite crashing through walls.
She was taken to a local hospital for evaluation with toxicology results still pending, but was not placed under arrest.
'Akers is not in custody at this time as the cause of the crash remains under investigation,' Illinois State Police said.
Chatham Police Department debunked rampant social media rumors that Akers was drunk and failed a field sobriety test after the crash.
'This is not true. Please stop sharing this,' the department's Facebook page commented on a post claiming Akers was arrested for a suspected DUI.
Akers is a food service worker at Chatham Elementary School and a mother of two children - a teenage boy and girl.
Ainsley's grandfather Galen Johnson mourned her online with a photo of her in an adorable fancy dress outfit.
'Words alone cannot express the pain we in the Johnson family are feeling with the loss of granddaughter Ainsley Grace Johnson. Love you "Squirt!"' he wrote.
Ainsley was a dancer at Studio M Dance Centre, where her teacher Mariah Clark promised to always remember her.
'Ainsley brought so much light and joy into my class, she always gave me a little hip-hop tude and I lived for it,' she said.
'Her smile was so bright, her personality was already so big at such a young age, and she danced like she meant it. I will forever keep Ainsley in my heart.'
Britton was a senior at Glenwood High School and like many of the students who helped run the program, planned to be a teacher.
'One of my favorite things about her was how she was unconditionally nice to everyone,' a classmate said.
'She was super-intelligent and always made people laugh.'
A fundraiser for the victims and their families has already attracted more than $75,000 in donations.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker expressed his horror, writing: 'Parents said goodbye to their kids this morning not knowing it would be the last time.
'Our community lost a group of bright and innocent young people with their whole lives ahead of them.
'Let's wrap our arms around the community tonight as we receive updates on the situation.'
Devastated locals recalled the moment their neighbors, friends, and loved ones learned of the tragedy and rushed to the scene.
'Watching people you know sprint past your house, not knowing if their children are safe, is a gut-wrenching experience. My heart aches for everyone,' one wrote.
Employees and volunteers at the local blood bank, ImpactLife, urged locals to give blood as they drained much of their stockpile helping victims of the crash.
'After the tragic events today the blood bank is running low, please if your able go donate,' one woman wrote.
Another said: 'I work at the blood center, and we had to pack up so much of our supply for this, so please if you can donate blood, platelets, any of it, go do it.'
Shock speed: Akers is understood to have crashed her car into the side of the school facility with such force that it burst out the other side seconds later
Illinois Senator Doris Turner said she was 'heartbroken' by the tragedy.
'When we drop our kids off in the morning, we should always have the utmost belief that they will come home safely at the end of the day,' she wrote.
'For some families, that belief was shaken today following the tragedy at YNOT in Chatham.
'I am heartbroken - there truly are no words to explain what the Chatham community is feeling and will feel for days, weeks and months to come.
'I want to thank the first responders, law enforcement and volunteers.'
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