Driver Charged In 2018 South Boston Crash That Killed Boy In Stroller
BOSTON (CBS) – A woman has pleaded not guilty in a crash that killed a little boy in a stroller near his South Boston home back in 2018. Charlene Casey was arraigned Thursday afternoon in Suffolk Superior Court on a motor vehicle homicide charge in the death of two-year-old Colin McGrath.
Casey, 64, of South Boston, was indicted by a grand jury last month, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, which announced the charge Thursday.
Casey was driving a Toyota Prius on East Sixth Street around 3:30 p.m. on July 25, 2018 when prosecutors say she failed to yield to traffic on L Street. As she went into the intersection, the Prius hit a van which then went up on the sidewalk, hitting Colin's stroller. Colin was killed. His four-year-old sister Sloane ended up with broken bones and other injuries, included a lacerated liver, but she survived. Their nanny was not seriously hurt.
Casey was summonsed to appear in court Thursday morning, but the probation office said she told them she never received the notice, because her address had changed.
"She was confused, she's had health issues and wasn't sure what they were talking to her about," Casey's defense attorney Steven Boozang said.
An arrest warrant was issued after they were not able to reach her. Casey appeared in court at 2 p.m. with her attorney. A judge set her bail at $5,000.
"I think it's a tragedy that has devastated families in South Boston and beyond," Boozang said. "She's felt terrible from the beginning."
The McGrath family left the court without comment, while District Attorney Rachael Rollins called it a clear case of negligence.
"A young two-year-old has lost his life we believe due to negligence and we have charged as such," Rollins said. "It's a tragedy all around."
The McGrath family released a brief statement after the indictment was announced.
"We remain enormously grateful for the support of our family, friends, community, colleagues, elected officials, the Boston Police Department, and the Suffolk County District Attorney's office. We have trust and faith in the ongoing judicial process and ask for continued respect for our family's privacy."
Months after the crash, Colin's parents, Kerry and Brendan, started Colin's Joy Project, which will fund programs for families in need in South Boston. They'll also build new neighborhood playgrounds.