FAMILY WIPED OUT
THE family of five children who died in a fiery car accident has shared heartbreaking tributes after only one child survived the crash.
Three boys and two girls from Derby, Connecticut, who were siblings and cousins to each other, were killed after their SUV hit a tree and caught fire.
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The children were later identified as Anthony Billips, 17; Malik Smith, 16; Zahnyiah Cross, 12; Shawnell Cross 11, and Andrew Billips, 8.
They were traveling home to Derby from a shopping mall when the accident happened at around 12.20am on Sunday.
Police believe the 16-year-old was behind the wheel, but it's unclear what caused the teen to veer off the Hutchinson River Parkway in Scarsdale, New York.
The only survivor of the crash was a nine-year-old boy who was riding in the "rear hatchback/cargo area" and managed to escape "out of the rear," police say.
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He was taken to the hospital and was in stable condition Sunday afternoon.
“They wasn’t cousins, they were more brothers. Brothers and sisters, that’s how close they are,” said Malik Smith, the driver’s father, The Independent reports.
Smith's son was a good student and beloved community member who enjoyed playing basketball, the father told CBS News.
“That’s his thing. He goes to the mall. He goes to get his ice cream with his cousin. They go to the movies. They walk around the mall.
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"They do what teenagers and kids do, you know. So that’s, it’s just, I didn’t know he was driving by himself," said Smith.
The 16-year-old didn't have a license or driving permit, according to his father.
He had driven illegally before, despite his family's advice, Smith said.
The father to some of the children, Anthony Billips, wrote a gut-wrenching Facebook tribute post.
"This the most painful post I ever had to write in my life," he said. "We wouldn't wish this to happen to anyone in this world."
Billips added: "We need all of y'all prayers and kind words to help us" during "this terrible time."
Nicole Cross, the mother to some of the victims, wrote on the social media platform, asking for strength during this difficult time.
"Lord Jesus I don't understand why you had to take our babies from us," she said.
Nicole added: "Please give us the strength."
"Lord God these kids didn't deserve this like why is this happening?
"Please keep my family in your prayers I'm begging we lost five kids in a tragic a** accident and don't know what to do or how to handle this," she said.
Nicole pleaded: "God please help us."
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A GoFundMe page titled Our 5 children was made by Da'Shawna Cross to "help bury our children we lost."
"We just want to put our babies to rest," the page read.
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