'Real-life consequences': Vaughan mom of children killed in driveway warns of dangers of careless driving

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 18, 2021
Jeremy Grimaldi

"We want to wake up from this nightmare and we can't."

Those are the heart-wrenching words from the mother of two children, Anaya, 10, and Jax, 4, both of whom tragically lost their lives in May after a vehicle in their Vaughan neighbourhood lost control, striking and killing them both.

The fallout from this incident was immediate scorn from many residents, who say aggressive driving is becoming not only a blight on main arteries in York Region, but increasingly on side streets.

However, solutions have been slow to come.

Since the tragedy in May, there have been two other incidents involving young people on bikes being struck by cars.

Nikita Belykh was struck and killed while riding her bicycle on the sidewalk outside a community centre in Thornhill in September, and William Wallace, 14, was struck and killed in Mt. Albert in early October.

The Belykhs announced they would sue the city and the driver, who has since been charged with careless driving.

Anaya and Jax's family marked the pair's deaths by releasing a statement on the National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims, which came six months after the collision.

"Please, please remind yourselves and your kids to be mindful of how you are driving," the statement reads. "The decisions you make on the road have real-life consequences. Our family is broken, devastated... Everyday we see and hear about careless, dangerous driving all around us. It just doesn’t stop."

It goes on to say the family wants to remember Anaya as a "hardworking, sweet, friendly, bubbly, smart, loving, protective and beautiful" girl. The statement said Jax was a "curious, adventurous, loving, handsome little Ninja Warrior" with a beautiful smile.

"Our sweet angels… Mummy, Papi and your sister will love you forever… Your beautiful smiles will live in our hearts, never forgotten.”

The 16-year-old driver of the vehicle that struck them cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, but faces a slew of charges including two counts of dangerous driving causing death, two counts of criminal negligence causing death and a count each of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

He was released on $300,000 bail and is on strict conditions.

The third Wednesday of November is recognized each year as the day of remembrance for victims of road death.