Chatham Crash Claims Fifth Young Life

A grieving community is again in mourning as a fifth child has died from injuries sustained in the tragic crash at a Chatham after-school camp. The accident occurred on April 28, 2025, when a vehicle plowed through the YNOT After School Camp, killing four girls at the scene and injuring several others.

On Tuesday, June 3, Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon confirmed the death of 8-year-old Bradley Lund of Springfield. Lund was an inpatient at HSHS St. John’s Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for multiple blunt force injuries since the day of the crash. He was pronounced deceased on Monday, June 2, at 5:52 a.m. His death remains under investigation by the Coroner’s Office and the Illinois State Police.

The crash, which authorities say does not appear to have been a targeted act, occurred just after 3:20 p.m. on April 28, when a vehicle driven by 44-year-old Marianne Akers of Chatham struck multiple people outside the building, continued through the facility, and exited through the opposite wall.

The initial victims — all girls between the ages of 7 and 18 — were identified as Ainsley Johnson, Kathryn Corley, and Alma Buhnerkempe, all from Chatham, and Rylee Britton of Springfield. They were pronounced dead at the scene. Six other children were hospitalized, including Bradley.

In the weeks since, the Chatham community has come together in collective grief and support. A candlelight vigil held at Glenwood High School drew hundreds of residents, and multiple community events and donation drives have been organized to support the affected families.