A Google Map showing the Hutchinson River Parkway where it meets Mamaroneck Avenue.
Note: officials held a press conference on this tragedy on Monday, March 20. Click here to read the story.
SCARSDALE, N.Y. — UPDATE: Five young people from Derby were killed in a car crash on the Hutchinson River Parkway in Scarsdale, N.Y. early Sunday, police said. They were all from the same family, according to school officials.
The victims were four males and a female, according to a prepared statement from the Westchester County Police Department issued at about 12 p.m. Sunday (March 19). They ranged in age from 8 to 17 years old.
Update: On Monday morning, Hearst CT said police in Westchester identified the victims as Derby residents Anthony Billips, 17, Malik Smith, 16, Zahnyiah Cross, 12, Shawnell Cross 11, and Andrew Billips, 8.
Police did not return a call for comment.
A GoFundMe page connected to families in Derby was created on Sunday and is being widely shared locally.
Derby Board of Education Chairman Jim Gildea confirmed the Derby connection, saying he spoke to Derby Public Schools Superintendent Matthew Conway.
Gildea said the family recently moved to west Derby from New York and had not yet registered in the local school system.
“This is an absolute tragedy,” Gildea said. “We are initiating our grief crisis plans. They could have, of course, known people in the neighborhood. They were residents of our community, so the superintendent has been in touch with the administrative team to put those plans in place.”
Conway issued two statements on Sunday: the first let the community know he was aware of the news circulating, and the second saying he had confirmed the tragedy was connected to a Derby family.
“I am following up on my earlier message regarding the tragic car accident that reported the kids were from Derby,” Conway wrote in an email. “Through the efforts of our team I was able to reach out to the father of the kids through his Facebook account. The family recently moved to Derby and the children were not registered in our schools. Our thoughts go out to the family during this unimaginable tragedy. Our team will be following up with the family to ensure they have the support needed during this time.”
Earlier in the day on Sunday, The New York Times, ABC-TV in New York, and The Daily News all reported the victims are from Derby.
The sixth person in the vehicle — a 9‑year-old boy — survived and is being treated at the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, N.Y. Police said the boy’s injuries are not life threatening.
The vehicle was “apparently being driven by a 16-year-old boy,” according to police.
The crash happened at about 12:20 a.m. Sunday.
Police said a Nissan Rogue heading north on the parkway went off the road and hit a tree near the Mamaroneck Road exit. The SUV then caught fire.
The 9‑year-old “was apparently riding in the rear hatchback/cargo area and escaped out the rear,” police said.
“The full circumstances of the crash remain under investigation by the Westchester County Police Accident Investigation Team and detectives from the General Investigations Unit,” according to the statement from Westchester County police.
News 12 in Westchester County, N.Y. reported police saying that they did not think speed was a factor, but that the 16-year-old driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel.
The Valley Indy left a message with police in New York on Sunday.
