My daughter left school about twenty minutes early yesterday with two of her classmates. The three girls are members of a children’s theatre company in Los Angeles and they left to prepare for their final performance of the musical “Little Shop of Horrors.” Five minutes after Leah and her friends drove away, a car barreled down the street at about 60 mph, jumped the curb, and plowed into a group of students and teachers who were returning to the school at the end of the day from their P.E. class at a nearby park. One teacher, a 24-year-old woman who was beloved by all the students, was killed instantly. Eight students were hit by the car and went sailing through the air as their classmates watched helplessly.
Miraculously, none of the students were killed. Five remain hospitalized with serious injuries and broken bones. Witnesses described a scene of utter horror. Apparently the 20-year-old woman driving the car was arguing with her boyfriend and she claims he yanked the steering wheel which caused the car to smash into the group. Once the car stopped, the couple climbed out of the driver’s side window, stepped over the body of the dead teacher, and fled the scene, even while bleeding children lay screaming in the street. One of the adults who saw the tragedy chased the woman down and dragged her back to the scene. Her boyfriend got away but the police knew his identity and he turned himself in last night. The man and woman are being charged with vehicular manslaughter, gross negligence, and felony hit-and-run driving.
When we arrived at the theatre, word was just beginning to spread about the horrible accident. The older brother of one of the girls in the play was right behind the group when they were struck and saw the whole thing. Leah and her friends were backstage getting into their costumes and we decided to wait until after the show to tell them the news. It was agony seeing them so happy and carefree as they performed their parts, knowing what we were about to tell them. The gruesome storyline of “Little Shop of Horrors” was particularly chilling given the circumstances. At the very beginning of the musical, Leah stepped out onto the stage alone in a trench coat and sunglasses and said these words very seriously:
In an early year of a decade not too long before our own,
The human race suddenly encountered
A deadly threat to its very existence.
And this terrifying enemy surfaced,
As such enemies often do,
In the seemingly most innocent and unlikely of places.
The whole cast then appeared on the stage to sing the title song:
Little shop, little shop of horrors
Little shop, little shop of terror.
Call a cop! Little shop of horrors.
No, oh, oh, no-oh!
Little shop, little shop of horrors.
Bop sh'bop, little shop of terror.
Watch 'em drop! Little shop of horrors.
No, oh, oh, no-oh!
Shing-a-ling, what a creepy thing to be happening!
Shang-a-lang, feel the sturm and drang in the air.
Little shop, little shop of horrors.
Bop sh-bop, you'll never stop the terror.
Little shop, little shop of horrors.
No, oh, oh, no, oh, oh, no, oh, oh, no!
I definitely felt the sturm and drang in the air as we gathered the 11-year-old girls after the show, still in their stage makeup, and watched their childhood innocence and sense of security take a major hit.
This morning, once we got past the phalanx of TV crews looking for sound bites from the shellshocked parents and students, we talked to grief counselors at the school and then left our children to work at processing this nightmare with their teachers. I have nothing but admiration for the way the school is handling the situation. Classes have been cancelled for tomorrow so that the faculty can have some time to grieve the senseless loss of their dear colleague.
My heart goes out to the parents of this lovely woman, the parents of the injured students, the children who were hurt, and those who witnessed the carnage. I’m not sure how they’re ever going to get over that. I am so grateful that Leah was on her way to the theatre when this happened. I don’t think there’s anything more terrifying than hearing the name of your child’s elementary school on the national news, especially if you are not yet sure that your child is okay.
Many of the students today, including my daughter, were particularly concerned that we drive very safely and carefully. The grief counselors told us to not use any euphemisms in talking about their coach’s death, and to let the children express their grief in their own ways. We shouldn’t promise them that something like this won’t happen again because there’s no way we can know that. The best we can do is to tell them that even though this situation has hit them very closely, it is still quite rare, and that most people do live for a very long time.
I couldn’t help but think of the few times I’ve driven in a very agitated state and I made a solemn vow that if I ever again find myself that upset behind the wheel, I will immediately pull over and wait until I cool off. I urge you to make the same promise to yourself. And to go hug your kid.
Danny, I am so sorry about this. Leah must be quite shaken. I hope that everyone who has been touched by this tragedy will be able to find the strength they need to recover and move on.
Little Shop of Horrors is in my top 5 favorite musicals, by the way. What I wouldn't give to be Ronette or Crystal or Chiffon!
Posted by: heather | March 17, 2006 at 04:32 AM
OH, Danny, I watched this on the news the other night, in shock and horror. I was stunned to read your blog this morning, to find out this was Leah's school. I'm so sorry for what you all must be going through. The loss of their 24 year old teacher is just so tragic. I work in the field of grief support, and the grief counselors gave you very good advice. It is so unfair that such young souls should have to face this kind of horrible reality.
Again, I'm so sorry for all of you.
Posted by: Randi(cruisin-mom) | March 17, 2006 at 08:18 AM
Tragedy's fingers always creep out to touch someone in some way...
I'm sorry it was Leah's fellow students and a staff teacher and the school's families who were touched by this. I hope Leah will be able to heal from this horrific news and continue to be the bright light that she is.
Posted by: Pearl | March 17, 2006 at 09:53 AM
How sad for everyone.
By the way, the production was a lot of fun. And with Leah -- I think you have an actress on your hands.
Posted by: Neil | March 17, 2006 at 10:44 AM
Thanks, everyone. And thank you, Neil, for coming to Leah's show that night, that was so nice of you. Sorry there was such a pall over the evening but the kids did do an amazing job, I loved that performance. It was very moving to see several kids and parents from Leah's school in the audience that night who already knew what had happened.
Posted by: Danny | March 17, 2006 at 10:51 AM
Oh my how tragic :( I am so sorry to hear this happened at your daughters school.
Posted by: Wendy Wings | March 17, 2006 at 01:22 PM
Absolutely horrifying and heartbreaking.. I am so glad your daughter is okay - what a senseless tragedy - glad they found the human trash that did this - a fight in a car and a 24-year-old innocent woman loses her life and children are injured...just makes you shake your head...so very sad..
Posted by: wendyod10 | March 17, 2006 at 01:42 PM
Oh Danny... I am holding back the swear words and disgust. Not only towards the person who could walk away but also the land that could make it easy to do so. What times these children live in! Please give Leah a hug from all of us who don't even know her. Best...
Posted by: Shannon | March 17, 2006 at 11:20 PM
Danny...How truly horrendous! I hadn't seen the news so I knew nothing about this. What a terrible terrible thing to have happened...Does it seem to you that there are more and more crazy things happening in schools, around schools, or near schools? I don't remember these kinds of things happening 'back in the day'...perhaps because there wasn't as much traffic then...and nobody was doing drugs back then...(Hard to believe, I know)...
I hope Leah recovers from this tragedy with not too many scars...Hug her for me, too!
Posted by: OldOldLady Of The Hills | March 18, 2006 at 12:04 AM
I can't believe that was Leah's school . . . May her friends and her school recover and keep on going...
Posted by: david | March 18, 2006 at 11:33 AM
Danny, that's so horrifying...the kids are in my thoughts.
It's so sad how these things happen to such good people.
Posted by: Rosie | March 18, 2006 at 09:59 PM
Danny, I'm so saddened to hear that your daughter's school was the scene of such a tragic event. But I'd like to assure you that even though it seems now like this event will forever taint the kids and the school, that time will heal the wounds. My children attended the middle school where there was a horrible bus accident in Canada when the driver fell asleep and drive the bus off the road. 4 kids died, two Jewish, 2 asian, and many more were injured, including a beloved Music teacher. The kids were going to perform in a concert in Canada. It also made national and international news for days.
The school has recovered, but some of the kids on the bus have not. There have been attempted suicides, but so far, knock wood, all the kids are still with us. The school provided ongoing counseling, and these kids are now Juniors in high school, and are looking forward to college.
It's horrid to be associated with a school that has this kind of history, but it does draw the families closer together, and it does make the children realize the fragility of family and friends.
Hugs to Leah.
Posted by: margalit | March 18, 2006 at 10:54 PM
What a sad story. I hope the school does what it can to help the kids get through this.
Posted by: nappy40 | March 19, 2006 at 08:14 AM
I can't believe I am reading this terrible story actually happening to Leah's schoolmates. How absolutely terrifying and devastating for everyone. I am holding you all in my thoughts.
Posted by: Tamar | March 19, 2006 at 09:16 AM
Oh, Danny.
Posted by: amba | March 19, 2006 at 10:31 AM
Jesus, Danny, how horrible. I'm sorry I'm a few days late getting here. It's good that the grief counselors are saying wise, true things to the parents and children, and that the children are urging their parents to drive safely. I hope Leah and all her peers emerge from this with only the psychic scars that are proportionate.
Posted by: Richard Lawrence Cohen | March 20, 2006 at 06:41 AM
Danny, this is the first time I've been to your blog...and, what a horrifying piece to read. In one sense...you count your blessings that your child was out of harm's way....in another, you grieve for those helpless and unsuspecting victims that weren't so lucky. And over what? An arguement? Shameful...disgusting and heart-breaking. Your advice is good Danny; and I hug my kids as much as I can...grown-ups or not.
Posted by: Joy | March 20, 2006 at 10:53 AM
How horrible. When my oldest daughter was in 4th grade, her teacher was killed in a house fire. I don't think she's ever gotten over that (and then her friend's mother was killed in a car accident last summer, and her other friend's mother had a cardiac arrest 2 months ago..)
Very glad to hear that your daughter was spared witnessing this. Odd to think she was saved by show business.
Posted by: psychotoddler | March 28, 2006 at 09:01 AM