Westchester County officials have concluded that a crash in New York, leaving five kids from Derby, Connecticut dead, was an accident.
The Westchester County Police Department said no criminal charges will be filed as a result of the investigation. Investigators said the driver most likely fell asleep and that's what caused the vehicle to go off the road.
Authorities said there was no evidence that the car was involved in a crash. Investigators also said there was no indication that the driver took evasive action after driving off the road.
Westchester County police said 16-year-old Malik Smith was driving a Nissan Rogue on the Hutchinson River Parkway in Scarsdale, New York, around 12:20 a.m. on March 9 when the vehicle left the road, struck a boulder and a tree and caught on fire.
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New York officials said Smith; 17-year-old Anthony Billips Jr.; Zahnyiah Cross, a 12-year-old girl; Shawnell Cross, an 11-year-old girl; and Andrew Billips, an 8-year-old boy; were all killed in the crash. They said there were at least two sets of siblings in the vehicle.
During a news conference, officials said Smith did not have a driver's permit or license from New York or Connecticut. Investigators are trying to determine whether the five children who were killed in the crash were wearing seatbelts.
The vehicle Smith was driving had been rented by a relative. It's not clear how the teen had access to it.
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A toxicology report revealed that drugs and alcohol were not a factor in the crash.
A 9-year-old boy who was riding in the rear hatchback/cargo area was able to escape out of the back of the car and is the only survivor, authorities said. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.
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