The car crash that killed three young children and a teenager at an after-school camp in central Illinois was likely not an intentional act, state police
said Tuesday.
On Monday afternoon, a vehicle driven by 44-year-old Marianne Akers of Chatham left the road for unknown reasons, crossed a field, and slammed into the east side of the YNOT After School Camp building at 301 Breckenridge Road, according to the
Illinois State Police.
The car barreled through the building, hitting multiple people before exiting through the other side, then continued across a gravel road and crashed into a power pole and a ballfield fence,
according to Jamie Loftus, founder of YNOT Outdoors, who reviewed security camera footage.
Four girls were killed in the aftermath, including Ainsley Johnson, 8, Kathryn Corley, 7, and Alma Buhnerkempe, 7, all from Chatham, and Rylee Britton, 18, of Springfield, according to the
Sangamon County Coroner’s Office. Postmortem examinations found that all four died from multiple blunt force injuries due to the crash. Six additional children were hospitalized, with one remaining in critical condition as of Tuesday, police said in an update.
Akers, the only person in the vehicle, was not injured. Toxicology results are pending, and as of Tuesday morning, Akers was not in custody, according to police.
“This does not appear to be a targeted attack,” Illinois State Police said in a statement.
The crash happened around 3:20 p.m. Monday. Initial reports indicated that three victims were struck outside the building and one inside, but further investigation found that all individuals struck were inside the building at the time.
The facility, which is near a park and surrounded by farmland and residential homes, houses the Youth Needing Other Things Outdoors (YNOT) after-school and summer camp programs, which bring together students from different elementary schools.
Jennifer Walston, who brought her three daughters to lay flowers and a stuffed animal at the crash site, said the victims were “sweet girls” who “loved to dance and made efforts to include others.” Adding that, “This is just devastating.”
Loftus, the camp’s founder,
said that security footage showed the vehicle leaving the road “a substantial distance” away and speeding across the field toward the building, crossing a road, sidewalk, and parking lot “with no apparent attempt to alter its direction.”
“I cannot gather the words to express much of anything that will make sense in print. However, I do know that our families who suffered loss and injury today, are hurting very, very badly. They are friends and their kids are like our kids,” Loftus said in a Monday Facebook post by the school camp.
The Sangamon County Coroner’s Office, Illinois State Police, and Chatham Police Department are continuing their investigation into the cause of the crash. Multiple agencies, including the Chatham Fire Department, Springfield Police Department, and Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, responded to the scene.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said his office is monitoring the situation and is ready to provide support.
“I am horrified and deeply saddened by the deaths of children and numerous injuries in Chatham this afternoon,” Pritzker said in a statement
posted on X. “My heart is heavy for these families and the unimaginable grief they’re experiencing—something that no parent should ever have to endure”.
The Chatham Police Department
called for prayers in a Facebook post, stating, “A terrible tragedy has occurred here that has affected all of us.” By Monday night, many community members and others had changed their social media profile photos to a red ribbon with the words “Chatham Strong” in a show of solidarity.
The investigation remains active, and authorities have asked for patience as they work to determine the cause of the crash.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
