The sudden news of the death of three children and one 18-year-old did not fit in with the quaint neighborhood in Chatham where the YNOT afterschool program is located.
Farm fields surround the facility in the town of about 14,000.
But today is different. Neighborly, still, but today, people bring flowers and stuffed animals to the site that is normally a place for joy and community.
Jennifer Walston and her three daughters carried stuffed animals and flowers to commemorate two of their friends who were killed.
Jennifer Walston and her three daughters place flowers and stuffed animals outside of the YNOT Outdoor building on April 29, 2025, to help remember two of the girls who lost their lives.
The girls attend a summer camp that YNOT Outdoors offers, so they know many of those who attend the after school program that experienced the tragedy on April 28.
Walston and her daughters described their two friends as fun and always full of energy.
“They were dancers, they were always dancing. They included everybody. Sweet girls.”
Walston said the programs at YNOT are highly sought after and also a place where kids and parents in the community can get to know people from other schools in the area.
“The kids love it here and we love it here. It’s just not fair. It’s not fair this happened,” Walston said.
Taylor Godwin, a neighbor, saw the body of a child as the tragedy unfolded.
He and his wife work heard loud “bangs” outside and went to see what happened.
Initially, Godwin saw from his back window a jeep that had crashed into a telephone pole, leading him to call the Chatham Police Department.
He then saw two people running from the building to the vehicle.
“I went out back around our fence, and had seen the aftermath of the building…The whole back of the building had been blown out,” Godwin said.
Godwin and his wife then saw the body of a child.
“I’m not the type of person that enjoys feeling helpless, but I certainly felt helpless in that moment. There’s nothing that I could do… It’s multiple feelings all at once,” he said.
First responders were arriving about then, Godwin added.
“You never imagine it can happen in your community. It’s a terrible situation to see anybody that’s been killed, especially a child. And to now know that that is multiple children, it’s very heart wrenching. My wife also feels very, very upset.”
(This story has been updated to add a video.)
Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Community mourns loss of 4 girls in fatal Chatham crash
