Father Dreading Daughter's Questions After Mother Killed In Bethel Park Crash
PITTSBURGH (News Radio 1020 KDKA/AP) - One of those closest to one of the three young women killed early Tuesday on Library Road in Bethel Park is speaking out.
Malachi Redhawk, 22, says he and Paige Smith, 21, dated for nearly three years. During that time, the two had a baby girl together.
Even though they had separated, they would still keep in close contact.
"We still had respect for one another, we still had love for one another. I would do anything in the world for Paige and she knew that," said Redhawk.
KDKA's Marty Griffin Reports --
He told KDKA's Marty Griffin it was a terrible feeling upon learning of Smith's death.
"It's the biggest cannonball in the gut you'll ever feel in your entire life," said Redhawk.
Redhawk adds he was dreading the question he knew would eventually come from his daughter.
"She came home from the zoo with my cousin last [Tuesday] night and was a little cranky and asked me to call her mom," he said. "Those are the moments I dread the most."
He tells Marty he plans on taking his daughter, Adrianna, to the funeral for her to see her mother one last time, but will try when no one is around.
"That will be the hardest moment in my entire life," said Redhawk.
The family of Paige Smith has set up a fund in the name of her young daughter. Donations can be made payable to Adriana Redhawk at any PNC Bank Branch.
Redhawk adds he knows people will see the Snapchat video of the night the girls were killed, but doesn't expect it to change anything.
"People are gonna look at it, they're gonna say, 'Wow, it's a shame,' give their two cents, and they're gonna go do that exact same thing this weekend," said Redhawk.
Bethel Park Police have been examining an 8-minute compilation of the videos an unnamed friend posted on YouTube. Investigators believe three factors led to the crash: speed, alcohol and distracted driving.
They're trying to determine who was drinking and how much before the crash around 1 a.m. Tuesday.
Killed in the crash were 21-year-old driver Paige Nicole Smith, of Bethel Park, and two of her three passengers, 23-year-old Bianca Herwig, of McDonald, and 17-year-old Heather Camisa, of Finleyville. Their SUV smashed into a utility pole.
The other passenger, 21-year-old Brooke Molnar, was thrown from the wreckage. She was released from the hospital today after being treated for internal bleeding. She has no memory of the accident.
Police found an empty vodka bottle, which can be seen being passed around in the vehicle in the video.
Follow News Radio 1020 KDKA on Facebook.
Follow News Radio 1020 KDKA on Twitter.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)