hitType: 'event', In September 2020, the young lives of Mark and Jacob Iskander were tragically taken by a drunk driver in a hit and run accident while on a family walk in their neighborhood in California. Ericksons attorney denies that his client was racing at the time and has said Erickson did not stop because he had already passed through the crosswalk and was unaware that Mark and Jacob had been hit. 2/2 "She has never been in criminal trouble before, nor has she ever been arrested before. Grossman's sentence must be proportionate to her crime in order to prevent future similar tragedies, and endangerment of other families and young children. Cohen, a neighbor of the Iskander family, added, "If Grossman didn't have money and connections, she would have been in custody all this time instead of free on bail. I was very proud of them," Karim said. But said neither Grossman's white Mercedes Benz nor Scott Erickson's black SUV stopped. eventAction: 'click_adunit' Karim Iskander heard the crash, heard his wife scream, and came running. The orphanage will be in Mark and The Mark and Jacob Iskander Foundation Fund is held with the Ventura County Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity, Federal Tax ID number: 77-0165029. The boys, both deacons at Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Simi, died Sept. 29, 2020, after being hit by a car said to be speeding through a crosswalk. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ Iskander was the first witness in the court proceedings where Judge Shellie Samuels will decide . At a vigil in Three Springs Park Mark and Jacob's neighborhood playground the boys' mother, Nancy Iskander, revealed her anguish, courage and faith. eventAction: 'render' In loving memory, their family would like to start a children's orphanage in Egypt. Karim and Nancy Iskander, parents of Mark and Jacob Iskander, share a laugh at a public vigil for the boys on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Westlake Village on the second anniversary of the crash . Many families do not have the resources to provide their kids with basic necessities such as a single pair of shoes. Deputies arriving at the intersection told the Iskanders the person who had hit their sons escaped, but they were trying their best to find them, the couple said. Emailus. ABC News could not immediately reach the Grossman Burn Center for comment. The founder of a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization has been charged with the murder of two school-aged boys in a hit-and-run in September. More @ABC7 at 4 and 5. pic.twitter.com/xdl9QqDLRV, 58-year-old Julie Cohen, who is one of the protesters, told Daily Mail, "There have been too many delays already. In a statement released, Grossman's attorney said, "Rebecca Grossman has entered a not guilty plea in this case, and the government has yet to present any evidence in court. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { The vehicle's driver, 57-year-old, Rebecca Grossman, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, racing, and fleeing the scene of the crime. The Mark and Jacob Iskander Foundation celebrates the extraordinary lives of Mark and Jacob Iskander by continuing their mission of love and light. Mothers and homemakers were spotted wearing T-shirts with a picture of the young victims, Jacob, 9, and Mark Iskander, 11, as they protested outside the courtroom in Van Nuys on March 16. The vigil was held at Three Springs Park, 3000 Three Springs Drive, the neighborhood park where the brothers would play growing up. [emailprotected]. Testimony from Grossmans preliminary hearing showed that both she and Erickson had been drinking cocktails at a restaurant the day of the crash. It was not immediately clear if she had an attorney. }); The Mark & Jacob Iskander Foundation provides support to underserved children. Each day since Sept. 29, 2020, the day 11-year-old Mark and 8-year-old Jacob were hit while crossing Triunfo Canyon Road, the deeply religious family has struggled to place meaning behind the tragedy. The family is suffering. Iskander said she waved frantically to try to get the drivers' attention before pushing her 5-year-old son out of the way. , updated Rebecca Grossman, 57, was arrested on two counts of vehicular manslaughter. We think the whole justice system, they looked at the facts and they made the right decision. Ive always been proud of you, and Im still proud of you.. Your generosity will allow children to reach their full potential academically, socially, and psychologically by offering them the love, support, and tools they need to succeed. On Sept. 29, 2020, Mark, 11, and Jacob, 8, had tried to cross Triunfo Canyon Road at Saddle Mountain Drivewhen they were hit by a passing car, killing them both. Justice must be served, regardless of Grossman's financial means, status, privilege, and connections," reads one petition. document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ An attorney for Grossman could not be immediately identified by PEOPLE and it is not clear if she has entered a plea at this time. A Southern California community is mourning two brothers, ages 11 and 9, after they were struck and killed by a driver in suburban Los Angeles County, according to authorities. The suspected driver, Rebecca Grossman, was located at or near the crash site, according to the sheriff's office. The Iskander brothers had been walking across a crosswalk with their parents and two siblings, Zackary and Violet, when they were struck. The Iskander family, along with Residents of Westlake Village, California have been mourning the loss of two beautiful children for over two years. Crash that Killed Pregnant Mother, Her Son & 4 Others, Man Arrested for Allegedly Running Over and Killing Pastor Delivering Toys to Shelter for Christmas, Cousin of Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Dies from Cardiac Arrest After Being Tased by Los Angeles Police, Suspect in L.A. He wasnt racing, he said, according to a joint article from the Associated Press and City News Service in Feb. 1, 2021. Jeremy Childs is a breaking news and general assignment reporterfor the Ventura County Star. Church served as the center for the Iskander children's lives, as evidenced by the stories shared by their formerSunday school teacher, Mariam Guirgos, as well as their classmates at Ascension Lutheran School. She said that after looking both ways, she entered the crosswalk with Zachary on a scooter and Mark and Jacob on foot. pic.twitter.com/W7lCxDXt5m, Demi Moore has not left Bruce Willis's side and is doing everything to make his 'last moments happy', 'Stop it!' 'We demand that Grossman is prosecuted and sentenced to the fullest extent of the law and that she face serious consequences for her actions that took away the lives of Mark and Jacob. PRECIOUS BROTHERSIt's been a year since Jacob, left, and Mark Iskander of Westlake Village were killed, and their parents and two younger siblings are still grieving and looking for answers. I wish you were here to make wonderful things like you always did, the father said. One of the protesters, mother-of-two Julie Cohen, 58, - who made the Mark and Jacob T-shirts bearing the words 'JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED, plus similar stickers - told told DailyMail.com, 'There have been too many delays already. Nancy Iskander said she arrived at the crosswalk where Saddle Mountain Drive meets Triunfo with her three boys in tow. The children were crossing a street in Westlake Village when they were hit by a driver just after 7 p.m. Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), According to her lawyer, previous reports about the incident have been inaccurate. Julie Cohen, a representative of the Iskander family, spoke on their behalf. As the tragedys first anniversary drew near, the boys school, Ascension Lutheran in Thousand Oaks, planned to hold special prayers, but Nancy Iskander said the day will be like any other. She faces a maximum 34 years in prison. The brothers were identified by friends and by the Acorn newspaper as 9-year-old Jacob Iskander and 11-year-old Mark. [I]t is now clear that one of the primary causes of the accident, in this case, was the dangerous aspects of the pedestrian crossing where it occurred, attorney Tony Buzbee said Tuesday in a statement emailed to Law&Crime. 'These continual delays are awful for the family. The Iskanders in their final photo together: parents Nancy and Karim; their sons, Zachary, Jacob and Mark; and baby daughter, Violet. Mark and Jacob were deacons at Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Simi Valley. The September 29 incident killed 11-year-old Mark Iskander and 8-year-old Jacob Iskander, who were in a marked crosswalk in Westlake Village with their parents and siblings when Grossman allegedly slammed into them. Who is Rebecca Grossman? Mark's third-grade teacher Kristen Rowlands remembered her student as having an "outgoing passion" paired with "smarts," adding that his younger brother was full of confidence and "so much joy," the Thousand Oaks Acorn reported. Although she was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, Grossman is not being charged with DUI. Sadly, as is typical for a neglectful government, nine days after the accident in this case, the city finally acted when it allocated $250,000 to install flashing lights at this crossing, Grossmans attorney said. Lawyers for the Los Angeles woman who struck and killed two young brothers in a crosswalk as she was allegedly engaged in a race with another driver says that the citys failure to make the intersection safer is one of the primary causes of the boys deaths. Rebecca Grossman in a 2014 video. These continual delays are awful for the family. Courtesy of the Iskander family. Iskander was horrified to find Jacob lying in the roadway 'as if he was sleeping,' and her other son Mark had been on the hood of Grossman's vehicle, which kept going after the crash. "Thousands of lives have been impacted by this tragedy - two, innocent and loving, young boys with their entire life ahead of them were taken away by the complete and intentional disregard for human life, gross negligence, and selfish actions of Grossman," the petition says. Justice for Mark and Jacob Iskander.'. The second boy was taken to a local hospital where he died a few hours later, the sheriff's office said. }); Buzbee also said that his investigators have preliminary determined from at least two sources that Grossman was traveling at just under 52 miles per hour when she struck the boys, a significantly slower speed than what prosecutors have alleged. Rebecca Grossman, 58, was behind the wheel of an SUV during the incident on Sept. 29, 2020, and though her defense maintains it was a tragic traffic accident, JudgeShellie Samuels said there is evidence of a hit-and-run, according to The Los Angeles Times. She hit and run, and that is what she did. These victims lost two children. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), We can't keep continuing this. Grossman wasallegedly engaged in a high-speed game of chicken at the time with former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson when she struck the brothers with her car. In fact, the court record will show Mrs. Grossman did not intend to hurt anyone, she did not flee from the accident, and she fully cooperated with the police." All witnessed by the very eyes of the ones who love them most their parents. They were both coming at us at unbelievable speeds, she said. Even as media coverage dwindles, we will be watching, waiting, and praying that Rebecca Grossman is prosecuted appropriately for her heinous crime," the petition concludes. It wasn't the first time that Judge Samuels has expressed sorrow over the many holdups in the case against Grossman. Jacob and Mark Iskander were killed Sept. 29, 2020, when they were struck by a speeding car in a crosswalk near their Westlake Village home while Nancy and Zachary were with them. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ L.A. County Sheriffs investigatorScott Sheantook the stand, telling the court that a trooper said Grossman was clocked driving 92 mph. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ Photo: Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church of Ventura County, 2 Young Brothers Killed in Front of Parents by Car, and Socialite Driver Is Charged with DUI, Honors Student, 17, Killed After Offering Teenagers a Ride: 'Thought He Was Doing the Right Thing', L.A. Sheriff's Deputy Charged with Murder in Fatal Crash that Killed 12-Year-Old Boy, Mother of Athena Strand, 7, Joins Child's Father in Suing FedEx After Their Daughter's Death, Minnesota Mom Convicted of Murdering Her 6-Year-Old Son After Going to Gun Range for Shooting Practice, Calif. Man Arrested After Allegedly Crashing into Church Van, Killing 3 Coming from Bible Study. By 'I do apologize for the delays.'. }); If you sign this petition and feel compelled to do more, you may also write an e-mail directly to the District Attorneys office here: https://da.lacounty.gov/contact/email. The preliminary hearing has been scheduled for April 25. "Thousands of lives have been impacted by this tragedy - two, innocent and loving, young boys with their entire life ahead of them were taken away by the complete and intentional disregard for human life, gross negligence, and selfish actions of Grossman. The boys aspired to greatness, not for themselves, but to glorify God and help the world around them. Erickson, who won his ring in 1991 with the Minnesota Twins, has been charged with reckless driving but he has not been accused of any other offenses connected with the brothers' deaths. hitType: 'event', The boys, both deacons at Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Simi, died Sept. 29, 2020, after being hit by a car said to be Socialite ran over Iskander kids in 2020, A small crowd has gathered at the Van Nuys courthouse where a hearing is set for Rebecca Grossman. I think its a mix of both.. Children without family to take care of them are left with no choice but to live in orphanages. There were mere centimeters between the first cars wheel and her youngest son, she said. Nonprofit Co-Founder Charged With Murder In Alleged Hit-And-Run That Killed Two Young Brothers Rebecca Grossman allegedly struck Jacob and Mark Iskander, then continued driving for 100 feet with one of them on the hood of the car before he fell off and she ran over him again, according to authorities. 10:05 EDT 26 Apr 2022 Grossman and her husband are the founders of the Grossman Burn Foundation, which seeks "to promote effective, sustainable partnership solutions for the comprehensive treatment, care, and support of burn survivors and their families in the United States and around the world," according to the organization's website. 'I still see it every night. As reported in the media, Mark and his younger brother Jacob tragically died as a result of https://t.co/hCctyDFMGp pic.twitter.com/7lTjyCPe4l, OaksChristianSchool (@OaksChristian) October 2, 2020. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. According to her lawyer, previous reports about the incident have been inaccurate. The judge pointed out vehicle data which said Grossman had reached 81 mph about a second and a half before the crash. He died at the scene. Two years after brothers Mark and Jacob Iskander were killed while crossing aWestlake Village street, dozens of neighbors, friends and family clad in white gathered for a vigil Thursday to honor their memory. On Sept. 29, 2020, Mark, 11, and Jacob, 8, had tried to cross Triunfo Canyon Road at Saddle Mountain Drive when they were hit by a passing car, killing them both. She faces two counts of vehicular manslaughter and a fifth felony count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death but remains free on a $2 million bail. I had to run to see him, Karim Iskander said. In a preliminary hearing, the judge decides if there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial. Mark died at the scene and Jacob a few hours later in the hospital. He had a strong personality, strong muscles and strong faith. Our freedom of information act requests has revealed that, despite multiple complaints from concerned citizens and many near misses, the city of Westlake Village refused on at least five occasions (2014/2017/2018/2019) to make the crossing safe.. The socialite is currently charged with two counts of murder and faces a maximum sentence of 34 years to life in prison if convicted, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. She did not turn around. That $2 million bail, plus the slow pace of court proceedings including several hearings where Grossman didn't show up have sparked outrage from protesters who believe her wealth and 'connections' have kept her out of jail. Grossman has pleaded not guilty. The 58-year-old showed up in court on Wednesday, March 9, while people expressed outrage over her being on bail since two days after the crime she committed and the slow pace of the proceedings. The Grossman Burn Foundation is the "philanthropic arm" of the Grossman Burn Centers, which were founded by Rebecca Grossman's father-in-law, according to the website. } 'I realized something happened to Mark and Jacob.'. A philanthropist must stand trial after allegedly murdering two young boys who were crossing the street with their family nearly two years ago. "I don't know if God will ever give me this understanding, but I do know that I feel so blessed to have known Mark and Jacob for the short time that I did.". . Grossman posted bail and was released about twenty-four hours after her arrest. At a hearing in March, Judge Shellie Samuels apologized to the victims' patents, Nancy and Karim Iskander, for the many continuances and postponement in the case, the most recent of which was Grossman's need to look for and hire a new lawyer after her previous attorney fell ill. hitType: 'event', There were initial inaccurate and premature reports in this case, which speculated falsely about a range of allegations, including but not limited to the alleged involvement of street racing, prior traffic accidents, and prior DUIs, each of which have now been shown to be untrue. He had nothing to do with this accident, really, he didnt, and any suggestion that he did is just false.. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { Their vibrancy was recognized by everyone they met, their warmth felt in every place they entered, and their memory inspires all those who carry them in their heart. ga('ads.send', { The Iskanders are seeking unknown punitive damages.https://t.co/LekLbeE2wj pic.twitter.com/hDJidwO5cU. I dont know how much of it is the lawyers trying to work the system and how much is the system just being backed up. Thank you! It's detrimental to them that this is taking so long. Her mugshot was not released to the public. It's time she was put behind bars, where she belongs. Mark Iskander, 11, and Jacob Iskander, 8, were killed in September when Rebecca Grossman allegedly struck them with her car and drove away while driving drunk. For more information on the foundation, go online to markandjacobfoundation.org. Hes charged with one count of reckless driving. Were definitely happy, she said after the hearing, according to KABC. "We demand that Grossman is prosecuted and sentenced to the fullest extent of the law and that she face serious consequences for her actions that took away the lives of Mark and Jacob. The boys' father, Karim Iskander, said Mark had "the sweetest heart ever," and would "spread sincere appreciation and laughter." If Grossman didn't have money and connections, she would have been in custody all this time instead of free on bailIt's time she was put behind bars, where she belongs Iskander family neighbor Julie Cohen, 'This case has taken way too long,' said the judge. They didnt stop before the intersection, she said. Mark and Jacob lit up every room they entered with their kindness, humor, and faith. eventAction: 'load' Grossmans sentence must be proportionate to her crime in order to prevent future similar tragedies, and endangerment of other families and young children. The vehicles driver, 57-year-old, Rebecca Grossman, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, racing, and fleeing the scene of the crime. Over 18 months after a hit-and-run crash killed her 11-year-old son Mark and 8-year-old son Jacob, Iskander appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court on . Erickson, whose vehicle entered the crosswalk first and barely missed the boys, according to Nancy Iskander, has been charged with misdemeanor reckless driving, which carries a maximum penalty of three months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Law enforcement had testified that Grossman was calculated to have been driving at 71.7 miles per hour when she hit the boys. It's time she was put behind bars, where she belongs.'. Even as media coverage dwindles, we will be watching, waiting, and praying that Rebecca Grossman is prosecuted appropriately for her heinous crime. Zachary got presents for Christmas from people we dont know, and people just showed up to give us hugs. We know justice will come because maybe God is just waiting for the right people to come in the right time in the right way for it to come in the best way it should, she said. Get your daily crime on! In addition to offering them respite, the program addresses their educational needs and teaches them new skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. With her husband, prominent plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Grossman, 59, Grossman is the founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation and ex-publisher of Westlake Magazine.
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