Parents of 9-Month-Old Son Who Were Planning to Get Married Among 3 College Friends Killed in Crash
Three college friends, including the parents of a 9-month-old boy, were killed in a Georgia car crash over Memorial Day weekend
Stillman College student Sieas Elliott and Stillman alumni Destiny Gardner and Varick Lawrence died in the crash, which is still under investigation by authorities
Gardner and Varick, parents to son Zaire, were planning to get married before the fatal crash, according to Varick's grandmotherThree friends, including parents of a 9-month-old boy, died in a car crash outside of Atlanta, authorities said.
The three victims of the crash were identified as Sieas Elliott, Destiny Gardner and Varick Lawrence by Stillman College, the Alabama school where 24-year-old Elliott was a current student and Gardner and Lawrence were alumni.
Clayton County Police said the crash happened on Friday, May 23, on Interstate 75 and Old Dixie Road in Forest Park, according to ABC affiliate WSB-TV.
The crash is still under investigation, according to the outlet. PEOPLE has contacted Clayton County Police for additional information.
"This is a terrible tragedy for everyone in our Stillman family," Stillman President Dr. Yolanda W. Page said in a statement. "The spirit of each of these proud Stillmanites will live on with all who were greeted by their warm smiles and welcoming personality."
"The entire Stillman College community mourns this heartbreaking loss," Page said. "We extend our sincere condolences to their families, friends, classmates, and teammates during this incredibly difficult time."
Lawrence and Gardner had a 9-month-old son named Zaire, according to WSB-TV. The local outlet also reported that the couple had plans to get married.
"We should be planning a wedding, not funerals," said Lawrence's grandmother, Dot Mitchell.
Lawrence played baseball and was a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity at Stillman, the college shared. After he graduated from Stillman in 2023, he worked as a baseball coach in the Atlanta area.
Gardner, who graduated from Stillman in 2022 with a degree in criminal justice, worked at the DeKalb Regional Youth Detention Center as a juvenile officer, according to Stillman, which said that both she and Lawrence "were deeply engaged with the Stillman family and broader community."
Elliot planned to return to Stillman for the 2025-2026 school year to finish his degree in early childhood education, according to a GoFundMe created to raise money for his memorial fund. He also worked as a student assistant baseball coach and, like Lawrence, was a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
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Terrance Whittle, director of athletics at the college and former head baseball coach from 2018-2025, said in a statement shared by Stillman that he was "deeply saddened" by the deaths of Lawrence, Gardner and Elliot. He shared, "Their legacy will live on at Stillman through the relationships they formed while here."
"Personally my heart will forever mourn with the families as well as celebrate the lives of Varick and Sieas. I had the honor of having them as two of my hundreds of sons I have coached," Whittle added. "I will never forget the spirit and connectedness of heart and brotherhood they brought to my life and all those that walked with us."
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