Families of teens killed in West Hempstead crash call driver's plea deal a slap on the wrist
MINEOLA, N.Y. -- The sobs of families echoed inside a Nassau County courthouse Thursday as a 20-year-old defendant admitted her role in the deaths of her two friends in 2021.
The victims' families called the plea deal a slap on the wrist for a violent and deadly high-speed crash.
"My son is dead. Nobody knows that pain," said Nadia Wynter-Baylis.
Her sobs reverberated throughout the courtroom for the lives of two teen friends, including her son Kurtis Caesar.
"Driving is a privilege. It's not to kill people. She went over 100!" said Wynter-Baylis.
Protected by her family, Nylah Frazier had just admitted guilt and got three to seven years for manslaughter. Without a plea, she faced up to 15 years at trial.
In 2021, Frazier was behind the wheel of her BMW accelerating around a West Hempstead curve. She ran a light and smashed into a truck.
Frazier's passengers, friends Caesar and Amanda Arguinzoni, were killed. Caesar had just graduated from Queens Magnet School. Arguinzoni was a cheerleader at West Hempstead High School.
"It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair at all. She took my daughter away from me, changed my life forever. I can't spend a moment alone or I'd go crazy," said Pedro Arguinzoni, Amanda's father.
"I'm a studio engineer. So we used to do songs together and, sorry it's hard to talk about that," said Josh Arguinzoni, Amanda's brother.
Friends and supporters said serving as few as three years is outrageous.
"She was doing 105 miles an hour two seconds before impact. This was murder," said Allison Hughes.
"As a praying person, I do hope that God gives her that peace and grace to actually ask forgiveness for killing two people that everybody loved," said Wynter-Baylis.
Frazier's attorney hopes this can be about forgiveness and healing.
"This is a horrendous situation. It's tragic all the way around. The judge understands this is a young girl who was immature at the time," said defense attorney Marc Gann.
Frazier plans to speak of her remorse at her sentencing in May, before beginning her three to seven years in a prison upstate.
