OAN Brooke Mallory
UPDATED 1:45 PM – Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Authorities are looking into a horrific car accident that happened over the weekend in Westchester County, New York, that claimed the lives of five Connecticut children.
However, according to officials, a 9-year-old boy in the vehicle has managed to survive the crash.
The single-vehicle crash took place near Scarsdale at 12:20 a.m. on Sunday when a Nissan Rogue drove off the Hutchinson River Parkway, hit a tree, and then caught fire, according to a news release from the Westchester County Police Department. The crash claimed the lives of four boys and one girl.
Authorities say that the victims were between the ages of 8 to 17 years old. On Monday, the victims were identified as 8-year old Andrew Billips, 11-year-old Shawnell Cross, 12-year-old Zahnyiah Cross, 16-year-old Malik Smith II, and 17-year-old Anthony Billips Jr..
The name of the one 9-year-old survivor has not yet been released.
It is suspected that the SUV’s driver, 16-year-old Malik Smith II, may have fallen asleep or became distracted right before the accident.
The sixth child, a 9-year-old, was fortunately able to make it out of the collision alive. When officials arrived at the scene, the youngster had left the car through the rear hatch where he had been sitting.
He was then taken by ambulance to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, according to police.
At the time of the police department’s statement, the survivor was being treated for injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.
Police reported that a 16-year-old was operating the Rogue car when it suddenly drifted off the parkway. Malik Smith, the father of the boy, told news sources that his child has driven before despite not having a license or permit.
According to Smith, the driver and the passengers in the collision were relatives. He claimed that while the cousins lived in Connecticut, his child resided in East New York, Brooklyn. He also revealed that his son frequently spent time with his relatives on the weekend, spending time at the movie theatre or mall.
“That’s his thing. He goes to the mall. He goes to get his ice cream with his cousin. They go to the movies. They walk around the mall. They do what teenagers and kids do, you know… So that’s it’s just, I didn’t know he was driving by himself,” said Smith.
He went on to mention how his son was a fantastic student that enjoyed playing sports like basketball, as well as an adored member of his community.
State Representative Kara Rochelle (D-Conn.) highlighted the incident in a Facebook post that was shared on Sunday.
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