Community honors victims of deadly Michigan birthday party crash
(CBS DETROIT) - Tears and emotions filled the Swan Boat Club's parking lot Friday night as the Berlin Township community stood shoulder to shoulder honoring the lives lost and impacted after a suspected drunk driver crashed into a birthday party on the property one week ago.
"I got a call that there was an accident at the boat club, and I should probably go there. Never dreamed what I was going to come upon," Berlin Township Manager Dave Reaume said.
On Saturday, April 20, a 66-year-old woman is accused of crashing into a birthday party at the Swan Boat Club, killing two young siblings, 8-year-old Alanah Phillips and 4-year-old Zayn Phillips, and injuring several others.
From stuffed animals to candles and even a handwritten note from one of the victim's young friends, several dozen people paid their respects Friday night.
The family grieves with the community as they come to terms.
Family members of Alanah and Zayn Phillips applauded the community's kind gestures.
The family says the best way for them to cope is to secure justice.
"I personally will never forget the feeling of cries from a grown man when he finds out his kids have been taken from him," said Michael Hatfield, the uncle of Alanah and Zayn Phillips.
According to Hatfield, his brother is still in the hospital, along with his 11-year-old son, who was also injured.
As the memorial at the boat club grows, the family has strong words for the woman accused of causing the crash.
"Honestly, we not even going to address her as much as we want to, and we have a lot of emotions and hatred towards that. I don't even feel like she deserves that. She doesn't deserve the acknowledgment," Hatfield said when asked about his thoughts.
On Tuesday, April 23, the suspect, Marshella Chidester, who is suspected of having been driving drunk when she allegedly crashed into a building, was arraigned on two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of operating while intoxicated causing a death and four counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury.
Chidester is back in court for a probable cause conference on April 30. A preliminary examination is scheduled for May 6.