Latest news with #ChathamElementarySchool
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Disturbing new theory about why female driver crashed into after school club and killed four young girls
The driver of a car that plowed through an after-school program and killed three young kids and a teen may have suffered a medical emergency. Marianne Akers' black Jeep rammed straight through the YNOT Outdoors Summer and After School Camp in Chatham, Illinois, about 3.20pm on Monday. Kathryn Corley and Alma Buhnerkempe, both seven, Ainsley Grace Johnson, eight, and Rylee Britton, 18, died and six other children were injured. Akers, 44, tested negative to drugs or alcohol and was not under the influence when she veered off the road 'a substantial distance' away, police said. Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said evidence of a medical emergency was so far 'not conclusive' and the investigation was still ongoing. No decision has been made whether to charge Akers with any crime, he said. Akers was filmed in handcuffs, with her hair in a messy bun and wearing a dark grey T-shirt. She was uninjured despite crashing through a wall. Police at the time said she was taken to a local hospital for evaluation with toxicology results still pending, and was not under arrest. 'Akers is not in custody at this time as the cause of the crash remains under investigation,' Illinois State Police said on Tuesday. The 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.' 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. The program is designed for school-aged children and is run by college students and 'very mature' high school seniors - most of whom have ambitions themselves of one day becoming educators. A fundraiser for the victims and their families has already attracted more than $75,000 in donations. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker expressed his horror on Monday afternoon, 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, Impact Life, urged locals to give blood this week, 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.' 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.' The local Chick-Fil-A has offered all first responders a free meal on Monday and Tuesday in response to the tragedy. YNOT, which stands for Youth Needing Other Things, is a summer and after school camp offering three hours of care for busy parents with little ones. The Chatham Baptist Church has become the makeshift reunification point for families who have children at YNOT.
Daily Mail
30-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Girls killed after being mown down by mom-of-two who plowed into after-school club... as driver remains free
A school worker killed killed three young kids and a teen after a car she was driving plowed through an after-school program in Illinois. 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.'
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Marianne Akers, 44, identified as driver who killed four girls at after school club… but she's NOT in custody
A school food service worker was behind the wheel of a car that plowed through an after-school program and killed three young kids and a teen. Marianne Akers' black Jeep rammed straight through the YNOT Outdoors Summer and After School Camp in Chatham, Illinois, about 3.20pm on Monday. An 8-year-old, two 7-year-olds, and an 18-year-old woman were killed and six others were injured. Only one is still in critical condition. Akers, 44, was filmed in handcuffs, with her hair in a messy bun and wearing a dark gray T-shirt. But police said she was taken to a local hospital for assessment with toxicology results still pending, and was not under arrest. Akers is a food service worker at Chatham Elementary School and a mother of two children - a teenage boy and girl. 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, authorities said. The six injured victims were rushed to hospital, including one with injuries so severe they had to be airlifted for treatment. Akers is understood to have crashed her car into the east side of the school facility with such force that it crashed out the other side seconds later. She walked away physically unscathed in the horror accident, but was taken to hospital for further evaluation. The program is designed for school-aged children and is run by college students and 'very mature' high school seniors - most of whom have ambitions themselves of one day becoming educators. Police said on Monday evening the cause of the crash remains under investigation. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker expressed his horror on Monday afternoon, 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 have recalled the moment their neighbors, friends and loved ones learned of the tragedy and rushed to the scene. One wrote: '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.' Employees and volunteers at the local blood bank, Impact Life, are urging locals to come down to give blood this week, revealing they've drained much of their stockpile helping victims of the tragedy. '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.' Illinois Senator Doris Turner also issued a statement, saying she is '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 Y.N.O.T. 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.' The local Chick-Fil-A has offered all first responders a free meal today and tomorrow in response to the tragedy. YNOT is a summer and after school camp - offering three hours of care for busy parents with little ones. It is staffed by college students and 'very mature high-school seniors.' The Chatham Baptist Church has become the makeshift reunification point for families who have children at YNOT.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Hastings couple charged with manslaughter in fire deaths of woman, child in Dutchess Airbnb
A Hastings-on-Hudson couple pleaded not guilty this week following their indictments in the deaths of a Massachusetts school teacher and her 1-year-old daughter in a fire last fall in the couple's Airbnb rental in Dutchess County. Meredith Darcy, 55, and Dennis Darcy, 57, were charged with second-degree manslaughter, accused of recklessly causing the deaths of Shannon Hubbard and her daughter Maggie in the Oct. 13, 2024, fire at the home on Clinton Landing Road in Clinton. State police said that an investigation determined that the home "was not properly equipped with functional smoke detectors, in violation of New York State fire, building, and residential codes." The fire was not deliberately set and was believed to have started in a chimney flue, state police said. Patricia Gunning, a New City lawyer representing the couple, said the Darcys were "absolutely devastated" by what happened, but she suggested the homicide charge was an overreach by prosecutors. "We sharply disagree with the conclusions made by the District Attorney's Office," Gunning said Thursday night. "My clients steadfastly maintain there were smoke detectors in the home and would never have knowingly put another family in danger." She said the couple regularly stayed in the home with their two children, including a week before the fire. Hubbard, 35, and her husband, John, a Dennis, Massachusetts, police officer, rented the house and were staying there with Maggie and their 3-year-old son. They lived in Brewster, Massachusetts, and Shannon Hubbard was a teacher at Chatham Elementary School in Chatham, Massachusetts. The fire broke out at about 10:30 p.m. The Hubbards smelled smoke while they were on the patio. John Hubbard called 911, while Shannon Hubbard went inside to get their sleeping children. John Hubbard also tried to rescue the children, but was unsuccessful. Firefighters got Shannon Hubbard and the children out of the home, but mother and daughter died from their injuries. Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi said in a statement that the fire was preventable and that "we must commit to ensuring that no other family faces this same devastating fate." "The deaths of Shannon Hubbard and her young daughter in this senseless fire serve as a tragic reminder of the critical role smoke detectors play in safeguarding lives," Parisi said. "Their absence was not only a failure of the necessary safety measures; the Grand Jury concluded, the Defendants were aware of and deliberately ignored the significant and unjustifiable risk of death that this absence created." Dutchess Judge Michael Hayes set bail at $50,000 cash, $100,000 bond or $200,000 partially secured bond. Gunning said her clients were released after posting bail. They are due back in court on April 7. The Cape Cod Times contributed information. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Hastings NY couple charged in fire killed teacher, daughter at Airbnb
