Community members heartbroken over deaths of 5 Derby, CT children

DERBY, Connect. (WGGB/WSHM) - A car crash in Westchester County, New York over the weekend has claimed the lives of five Connecticut children, including two sets of siblings.

Police said that the 16-year-old driver was unlicensed and possibly distracted in the moments leading up to the crash. We are now hearing from people who knew the young victims as the investigation into the tragic case unfolds.

“Nice family, well-mannered children, respectful,” said Sarita Vargas of Derby.

Vargas owns a corner store up the road from where the five Derby children and teens were living. She said that the family recently moved to 7th Street and she was getting to know the young kids.

“Very heartbreaking,” Vargas said. “Children that come to my store everyday, so it’s very heartbreaking.”

Police in Westchester County, New York said that the driver -- 16-year-old Malik Smith -- and passengers Anthony Billups, Zahnyiah Cross, Shawnell Cross, and Andrew Billups died in the crash. They were all between 8 and 17 years old. A sixth child, who was sitting in the trunk, survived.

Police said that the Nissan Rogue they were in hit a boulder, then a tree, and caught fire. It happened in Scarsdale, New York on the Hutchinson River Parkway.

Tanisha Crook lives nearby and remembered seeing the children hanging out near the bodega.

“I saw one of the boys come in one day with one of the siblings and he was so happy, respectful, smiling, and when she said it was him, it was heartbreaking,” said Crook.

Derby Mayor Richard Dziekan, a former police officer, stopped by the family home to check on anyone there Monday.

“It never gets easy,” Mayor Dziekan said. “I’ve dealt with families like this before. Not this number of them before, but it’s tough, it’s really tough for the family.”

Officials told us that the driver, Malik Smith, did not have a license or permit, as confirmed by his father to CBS New York.

“I told him, his mother told him, his older brothers told him – stop driving without a license, without no permit,” Smith said. “Anything could happen. You could get pulled over, you could get in trouble for these things. Stop doing it.”

Police are still investigating the crash, but they do not believe Malik Smith was speeding.

“We’re less concerned about who to blame, but more about understanding what happened,” Westchester County Executive said.

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