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(CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Almost one year after a Jeep crashed through an after-school center in Chatham, the estates of the five children killed are suing Y-NOT, the builders of its facility, and driver Marianne Akers.
Akers, who was not charged criminally, apparently suffered a medical episode when she drove off E. Walnut St. in Chatham and through the building April 28, 2025, killing four children that day. A fifth child died of his injuries five weeks later.
The suit says the facility, built in 2012, was not the required 100 feet from the roadway. Instead, it was 77.
A Chicago law firm is representing the plaintiffs. One of the attorneys, Lance Northcutt, said in a news release, “Chatham is a tight-knit community, and this tragedy has deeply affected countless families. These children were irreplaceable. With this lawsuit, the families seek accountability for this profound loss and meaningful safety improvements to prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again.”
The children killed April 28 were Ainsley Johnson, 8; Kathryn Corley, 7; and Alma Buhnerkempe, 7; all of Chatham. Also killed was counselor Rylee Britton, 18, of Springfield. Bradley Lund, 8, of Springfield, died five weeks later.
A candlelight vigil is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. at Chatham Baptist Church.
This story will be updated.