Sadness, anger grow after 'preventable' deaths of 2 children in Vaughan

Thestar.com
May 19, 2021
Jeremy Grimaldi

There’s anger and recrimination, but most of all sadness and reflection at the site of a shocking single-vehicle crash that left two small children dead and their neighbour, who was attempting to help fix one of their bikes, badly injured.

This after a 2017 Mercedes C-Class sped down Athabasca Drive on May 16 at around noon, mounted the sidewalk and struck the two children, a four-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl, and the man in his 60s.

The vehicle ended up in a nearby hedge with the driver, a 16-year-old from Richmond Hill, being charged with dangerous driving and criminal negligence causing death.

Media reports say the teen repeatedly said his brakes weren’t working properly in the lead-up to the crash near Dufferin Street and Teston Road.

Reports also suggest he asked another witness to watch his vehicle while he went to visit his girlfriend on foot.

Following the crash, the children's mother is reported to have been in the driveway holding the boy, 4, like a newborn, while the father is said to have screamed at the teen "What were you thinking!?".

Now all that is left at the site is the scarred concrete, a huge and growing tribute where residents and several York Regional Police officers also laid flowers, and fed-up residents, repeating the refrain of just how needless the incident was.

York Regional Police shared a statement from the family involved in the tragic collision:

"We are extremely traumatized by the tragic lock of our daughter and son. The past days have been extremely difficult for our family. We appreciate the prayers and thoughts of all those grieving with us."

Police said they are also aware of a Go Fund Me page created for the family which has raised over $200 in the past seven hours, towards the $20,000 goal. The family has advised police that it was not created by them, nor has it been discussed with them in any form.

Roger Wong, who travelled to Maple from his Markham home with his wife and child, 2, to lay flowers, couldn’t get over how "preventable" the deaths were.

"We felt very heartbroken," he said. "We can’t imagine what the family would be going through losing two kids. It didn't have to happen."

Linda Li, whose son was a classmate of the boy, said her family was badly shaken by the tragedy.

"We got an email from the teacher in the morning and we are devastated by it," she said. "Both my husband and I didn’t know him, but we would see him when we would pick up our son."

Li, who lives in Maple with her young family, added the class is planning to send something to the young victims' family.

She added she has already sent an email to local city Coun. Marilyn Iafrate.

Iafrate, who also laid flowers, said the fact that the children were in their driveway at the time left her speechless at the senselessness of it all.

"If your kids can’t play safely in the driveway, where can they play?" she wondered. "It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon … it almost makes you feel like you have to hide in your backyard because people have no respect for communities."

Iafrate said she believes Vaughan should start looking at mobile speed cameras rather than speed bumps, which slow down emergency vehicles.

"People are just speeding through. It’s not just this subdivision; it’s older, it’s younger," she said. "It’s happening far too often, that’s my concern. I don’t understand the hurry. I don’t know where people are going. I’m just really upset."

She further explained she plans on presenting a motion at the next council meeting asking staff to look at the "whole area", not just that one street.

"It's not just that street and what can happen is if you fix a problem in one area, it moves elsewhere," she said, explaining she has not seen complaints about speeding in the area, but plenty about loitering and littering. "Speed cameras would be a wake-up call."

The teen who was arrested, who cannot be named due to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was originally charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm, but charges were upgraded after the two children succumbed to their injuries.

The neighbour who was struck went in for surgery on Sunday night, Iafrate said.

The teen is set to appear in court May 19.