Toronto family ‘devastated' after 3 kids killed in alleged drunk driving crash
The family of three Toronto children who were killed in an alleged drunk driving crash says they are 'utterly devastated' as they plan a funeral for the victims later this month.
Ramone Lavina, 15, his younger brother Jace, 13, and their six-year-old sister Mya died in a collision on May 18 that Toronto police allege was caused by an impaired teen driver.
The family's lawyer confirmed a publication ban on the children's identities was lifted on Thursday.
Police have said the crash happened shortly after midnight at the eastbound off-ramp at Renforth Drive and Highway 401. They said a 19-year-old behind the wheel of a Dodge Caravan was allegedly speeding as he exited the highway, lost control, went over a raised median and slammed into a Chrysler Pacifica minivan that was stopped at a red light.
Inside the minivan were a mother, her four children and a male acquaintance of the family, police said.
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Ramone and Jace were pronounced dead at the scene, while Mya was rushed to hospital but died a short time later.
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The mother, Jade Galve, her 10-year-old child Avery and the male driver were taken to hospital in stable condition.
The Lavina-Galve family said they are reeling from the 'unimaginable tragedy,' and they thanked the first responders, hospital staff and community members who have provided support.
'Although we remain utterly devastated, we are now in the process of planning the funeral for our three dear children, which is something no parent should ever have to endure,' the family said in a statement through their lawyer.
An online obituary says a funeral for the children is scheduled for June 14.
Police said 19-year-old Ethan Lehouillier of Georgetown, Ont., was arrested at the scene of the crash and faces 12 charges, including three counts of impaired driving causing death and three counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm. The allegations have not been tested in court.
Jim Cantos, a family friend, said in an interview after the crash that the Lavina siblings were 'tight-knit.'
He said he's known the Lavina family for years — the children's father, Maverick Lavina, is an old friend of his sister's, and they went to high school together.
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'The kids were very respectful,' said Cantos, who coached Ramone at Toronto Future Phenom, a basketball training program in Scarborough.
'Whenever Ramone came to practice, his siblings were there as well, cheering him on. I believe they did everything together.'
Cantos said the Lavinas are Filipino Canadian and he'd heard from many in the community who are shaken by the news. He said the family is well-liked in the community.
'The Filipino community is hit hard by this,' he said, adding it's been a tough time for Filipino Canadians, especially after the late April tragedy at a Filipino street festival in Vancouver, where 11 people were killed after an SUV rammed into a crowd.
'Filipinos, we move as a group… We are very tight family-wise and community-wise,' said Cantos.
'No parent wants to go through something as tragic as burying their own kid. That's something that a kid does to their parents, not the other way around.'
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