Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. "I know that I will see them again, and I look so forward to the. "It was the pandemic. document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ I dont see the difference between that and shooting a gun randomly.. Loved ones are asking residents to send holiday cards to the family of Mark and Jacob Iskander, two young brothers who were fatally struck by a car in Westlake Village in 2020. Samuels said it was "unfair" on the Iskander family for the case to go on for more than a year and had sympathized with them for their suffering. Rebecca Grossman, 59, has pleaded not guilty to felony murder, vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run driving in the Sept. 29, 2020 deaths of Jacob Iskander, 8, and his brother Mark Iskander, 11, according to previous Oxygen.com reporting. They are entitled to that." Rebecca's car struck the two boysMark died at the scene and Jacob died in hospital several hours later. [emailprotected]. "This is a devastating loss for our community," State Sen. Henry Stern posted on Facebook. When she hit the brakes, the boy rolled off into the streets. Karim and Nancy Iskander parents of Mark and Jacob Iskander leave Los Angeles Superior Court Monday after a hearing for Rebecca Grossman, who is accused of killing their two children as they were crossing the street in Westlake Village. }); Find top doctors who treat Infectious Liver Disease near you in Staten Island, NY. Grossman is expected back in court in August, according to NBC Los Angeles, with her trial slated to begin in September. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. At a hearing last December, the judge also said that the victims' parents, have been enduring 'torture and heartbreak' while the case drags on. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), People dropped off flowers and toys near the crosswalk close to the crash. The best beach in Britain that you've never heard of: Seaside town is braced for tourism boom after Kate Garraway reveals Derek's heartbreaking words when they thought he had just minutes left to live. The Iskander family, along with Residents of Westlake Village, California have been mourning the loss of two beautiful children for over two years. Investigators say alcohol and street racing may have played a part in the collision. Of his younger son, Karim added, "Jacob was the coolest boy ever. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Grossman's preliminary hearing was delayed yet again on Wednesday after the court was informed that her attorney Richard Sutton had taken ill and was unable to go forward with the case. Grossman has pleaded not guilty. "I pray for every mom who's lost a son," she said, according to the Star. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The park carries special meaning for the Iskander family because it was the boys' neighborhood playground. Authorities said the brothers were hit by a car in front of their parents and siblings as they crossed the street Tuesday night at Triunfo Canyon Road and Saddle Mountain Drive in Westlake Village. }); Crash that Killed Pregnant Mother, Her Son & 4 Others. She ran the boy over again after he fell off the hood. Jeremy Childs is a breaking news and public safety reporter covering the night shift for the Ventura County Star. It haunts me every night," Iskander said. Buzbee said that the city engineer had determined that the crossing was on a blind curve, but still the city did not take action. pg.acq.push(function() { Nancy Iskander, the boys' mother, narrowly saved one of her younger children, who was riding a scooter, as well as her youngest child, who was in a baby stroller, but couldnt grab Jacob or Mark in time. Rebecca Grossman continues to mourn the loss of these two children who were lost in this tragic accident, Buzbee stated. 6 Injured In Downtown Los Angeles Stabbing: Police, LA County Library: Celebrate Csar Chvez, UCLA: UCLA Health Receives $25.3 Million For Street Medicine Program Caring For Homeless. 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. 'This case has taken way too long,' said the judge. There is a lot of hate and anger out there, Grossman told, Nancy Iskander said anyone who wants to support Mark and Jacobs legacy can do so through the charity founded in their memory with the Ventura County Community Foundation, the Ventura County Star reported. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Have a tip we should know? Mark was 11 and Jacob 8. Rebecca Grossman stands accused of street racing at speeds up to 81 mph just before she plowed through a residential crosswalk, killing Mark and Jacob Iskander. Supporters of the Iskander family were also at the hearing, wearing buttons that read Justice for Mark and Jacob.. Mark died at the scene and Jacob a few hours later in the hospital. 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 Monday to testify in the preliminary. They probably dont know exactly what happened. The video of the tragic incident is in possession of authorities and investigators had noted alcohol and street racing could've been contributing factors leading to the incident. Two other children are said to have been pulled out of harm's way. When will the Beast from the East be at YOUR door? "When they were little I thought it was my job to teach them but especially in the last year I think it was the opposite. The rate of vehicle traffic, as well as pedestrian traffic, combined with the high speed limit were of such a nature that the crosswalk should have not existed without traffic device enhancements to provide warning of pedestrians using the intersection.. Iskander said she grabbed Zachary and threw him toward the curb before jumping out of the way herself. 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. All rights reserved. The vigil program will have speakers which include Nancy Iskander, Ascension Lutheran Church and School, Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Ventura County . What occurred that night was a horrible, unspeakable tragedy, but it was not murder. } 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. Mark, age 11, was gifted in math and science. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Additionally, she is being held on a 2 million dollar bail. But despite the severity of the crimes she's accused of, she's been free on bail since being charged two days after the tragedy. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), And that hate stems from believing everything thats been put out there about who I am: that I have no remorse, that Im this monster, that this hasnt affected my life, that I just go about my every day as if this never happened. Grossman lives in a $9.5 million, nine-bed, 12-bath mansion, in nearby Hidden Hills, on the same street as Full House actress Lori Loughlin. 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. According to the sheriff's department, after the collision, it appears one of the boys was carried for more than a hundred feet down the road on the hood of the car. He was eventually located up the roadway, his skateboard broken and his shoes off his feet. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category . Jacob and Mark were both hit by the Mercedes. Jacob was a great friend to all who were blessed enough to call him a pal. During Breathalyzer tests, Grossman blew a .075 and then .076 (under Californias legal limit of .08). Grossman is the co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation. 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. Liked by Stephane Mesaros ga('ads.send', { The 57-year-old was charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter for running over the kids aged 11 and 9. But said neither Grossman's white Mercedes Benz nor Scott Erickson's black SUV stopped. }); Ukraine to get 'double' the number of Challenger 2 tanks than Britain originally promised 'as a result of Pippa Middleton's father-in-law, 79, faces fresh probe by child protection unit in Paris - five years after Harry and Meghan to be mocked on Channel 4's The Windsors: One-off special of sitcom will poke fun at the Camilla to appear on Antiques Roadshow: Queen Consort will show off priceless silver snuff box made for one Hollywood's love affair with the new non-binary Brit Pack: After MeToo sex scandals, Tinseltown is desperate Commuters face biggest rail fare rise for a decade from TODAY - just as the network faces being paralysed by Why superfood fans are all going nuts for pistachios: Eco-friendly snack is rich in protein, fibre and Paris Hilton reveals in new memoir how she was drugged before enduring sexual abuse at 'tough love' boarding Pork wars! She was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and DUI after her front-end-damaged car broke down a quarter mile from the crash site. Update: The Iskander family has been overwhelmed by all the love and support they have received from everyone. Traveling over the posted speed limit is simply not murder, no matter how the DA attempts to twist the facts for his own purposes.. Grossman allegedly traveled more than 100 feet with one of the boys still on the hood of her car before the eyes of their horrified parents. Grossman allegedly kept driving after striking the children, only stopping a quarter-mile away because her engine cut off, authorities have said. The driver accused of killing the boys is 57-year-old Rebecca Grossman, and was allegedly drunk during the horrific accident. The second boy was taken to a local hospital where he died a few hours later, the sheriff's office said. Rebecca Grossman accepts the Betty Fisher Legacy Award at Evening of Hope 2017, May 18, 2017, in Universal City, Calif. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It's GRAYGATE! Our sympathies are with all who have been affected.". ", 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, L.A. Sheriff's Deputy Charged with Murder in Fatal Crash that Killed 12-Year-Old Boy, 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, Woman Allegedly Used Social Media to Find and Kill Doppelgnger So She Could Fake Her Own Death. . 2023 www.vcstar.com. On Sept. 29, 2020, Grossman was allegedly street-racing with former MLB pitcher Scott Erickson when she struck the boys before fleeing the scene. Grossman has also been involved in other humanitarian causes, including the prevention of violence against women, human rights and the American Heart Association, from whom she won a 'Woman of the Year' award in 2007. Rebecca Grossman, the co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation, has been identified as the suspect in a crash that killed two young brothers in Westlake Village. The boys' mother, Nancy Iskander was also seen wearing one of the T-shirts as she thanked the protesters for their support. Rebecca Grossman was arraigned Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court and charged with two felony counts each of murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one felony count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. 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. We pray daily for the family, their loved ones, and the community. Mark and Jacob were in a marked crosswalk with their mother, Nancy Iskander, and younger brother Zachary, then 5. Jacob and Mark's mother Nancy Iskander testified to walking with three of her sons at the crosswalk. Placards were left outside the courtroom in Van Nuys, California, during the hearing inside, 'These continual delays are awful for the family,' said Iskander neighbor Julie Cohen. More information is available at markandjacobfoundation.org. Ventura County Star The Westlake Village City Council unanimously voted Thursday to add blinking crosswalk lights to an intersection where two young boys were killed in a traffic accident the week before. Please know that along with Rebecca Grossman, we remain heartbroken and grieve deeply for the parents of Mark and Jacob Iskander. 'It's time she was put behind bars, where she belongs', Protestors say Grossman is being given preferential treatment by the legal system due to her wealth and connections, 'Since the boys were killed a year and a half ago, Grossman has been free on bail, free to do whatever she wants, while the boys' parents are living a nightmare.'. Interactive map reveals when you may see SNOW, PETER HITCHENS: Now we know for sure that our leaders lost their heads over Covid. ga('ads.send', { Brothers Mark and Jacob Iskander, 11 and 8, were walking with their parents and siblings in Westlake Village, California, in September 2020 when they were struck and killed. 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