Crash at Illinois after-school program doesn’t appear to be a targeted attack, police say. A town grieves the 4 lost
Four people are dead after a vehicle drove through an after-school building in Chatham
By Whitney Wild, Jason Hanna and Taylor Romine, CNN
(CNN) — A car’s crash into an after-school program building in central Illinois – a wreck that killed four people ages 7 to 18 and injured six other children – does not appear to have been a targeted attack, Illinois State Police said Tuesday.
Still, the cause of Monday afternoon’s crash into the YNOT after-school program in Chatham is under investigation, state police said as the community mourns and awaits answers about what led up to it.
Killed were three girls from Chatham – Alma Buhnerkempe, 7; Kathryn Corley, 7; and Ainsley Johnson, 8 – and an 18-year-old Springfield woman, Rylee Britton, the Sangamon County coroner’s office said.
They were being remembered Tuesday for their humor and compassion. One supported a brother who has autism.
The crash occurred when a vehicle left a road “for unknown reasons,” traveled through a field and slammed into a side of the program’s building around 3:20 p.m. CT Monday – striking several people – before exiting the other side, police said in a Tuesday morning news release.
The driver – the vehicle’s sole occupant, Marianne Akers, 44, of Chatham – was not injured, but was taken to a hospital for evaluation, state police said.
“Akers is not in custody at this time as the cause of the crash remains under investigation,” state police said in a Tuesday release. CNN’s calls to a phone believed to be associated with Akers were not immediately returned.
Though the cause still was being investigated, “this does not appear to be a targeted attack,” authorities said Tuesday. Toxicology reports were pending, police said.
Akers previously worked with the local school district as a food-service employee, leaving in 2022, a spokesperson said.
John Milhiser, the state’s attorney for the county, said Tuesday the crash was under investigation. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families impacted by this terrible tragedy,” Milhiser said.
Video of the scene Monday showed a large building, similar to a gym, with a hole along the bottom. Several law enforcement vehicles could be seen and a helicopter was spotted flying over the area.
Chatham police referred questions to state police. CNN has sought comment from the after-school program.
The after-school program’s operator, YNOT Outdoors, says it offers “three-hour, post-dismissal, latch-key care for school-agers.” YNOT stands for “Youth Needing Other Things,” according to the website of the organization, which also runs a summer camp.
Chatham, a village of about 14,000 people, is about 10 miles south of the state capital, Springfield.
Jamie Loftus, founder of the camp, said on Facebook the community needs to pray for and be mindful of those affected by the incident. “Our families who suffered loss and injury today, are hurting very, very badly. They are friends and their kids are like our kids.”
CNN has left messages for Loftus but has not yet heard back.
Glenwood Middle School in Chatham is hosting counseling services for all through Wednesday afternoon. Classes in the Ball-Chatham School District were be conducted via e-learning through Thursday, and all extracurricular activities are canceled, a district spokesperson said.
All four victims attended schools in the district.
The school district will be “focusing on the well-being of students” as “we mourn the loss of four children,” Chatham Village President David Kimsey said Monday.
“Please note that extra counselors, social workers, therapy dogs, and support personnel will be available to meet with students individually or in groups on Friday at their school,” the district said Tuesday.
Community remembers those lost
Alma Buhnerkempe, one of the victims, is being remembered by her mother as a “ray of sunshine everywhere she went.”
“She was sweet, outgoing, silly, and funny. She loved her friends and family fiercely. She loved playing soccer, basketball, and doing gymnastics,” Billie Buhnerkempe told CNN via text messages.
Alma loved to travel and went to 17 states in her short life. Her brother Will has autism, and she loved and supported him the only way a big sister could, Billie wrote.
Braelynn Finley, 20, a college student who has worked as a camp counselor at YNOT during the summers, rushed to the scene Monday afternoon. Police had blocked off roads and she could not get close to the building.
Finley sat in a nearby nursing home parking lot as first responders rushed past.
“I just felt frozen and I just felt sick,” she said.
Finley knew all four who died. Rylee Britton was “amazing” and the others were sweet young girls. “Ainsley, she was so funny. She could never not make us laugh.”
Alma liked to wear University of Illinois T-shirts and had a great sense of humor.
A parent of a child who was on the property when the crash happened told CNN she’s grateful for the composure that counselors there showed after the wreck.
“Once we found out there were kids inside, it was awful,” the parent, who spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity, said Tuesday.
When she reunited with her son, who she said was not injured, she felt immense relief.
“I am eternally grateful to those counselors who were there, and they’re almost kids themselves,” she said. “They’re young – young adults – and to keep composure and make sure the kids got out safely just says so much about them.”
HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield received six patients, a hospital spokesperson said Tuesday. One was treated and released while the others were admitted to a pediatric trauma center.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday said his administration was “closely monitoring” the crash. “My heart is heavy for these families and the unimaginable grief they’re experiencing – something that no parent should ever have to endure,” he said in a release .
“If you believe in the power of prayer, please take a moment to pray right now for the entire Chatham community,” Chatham police said on their Facebook page. “A terrible tragedy has occurred here that has affected all of us.”
CNN’s Zenebou Sylla, Bill Kirkos, Matthew Rehbein and Christine Sever contributed to this report.
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