Several witnesses will testify this morning with a decision expected later today. As per the family's wishes, all contributions will be donated to a charity of their choosing in honor of Mark and Jacob. Have a tip we should know? 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 The Iskander. The boys, both deacons at Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Simi, died Sept. 29, 2020, after being hit by a car said to be These continual delays are awful for the family. Over 100 community . But said neither Grossman's white Mercedes Benz nor Scott Erickson's black SUV stopped. At a hearing last December, the judge also said that the victims' parents, have been enduring 'torture and heartbreak' while the case drags on. Update: The Iskander family has been overwhelmed by all the love and support they have received from everyone. ", Meanwhile, at the hearing, Judge Shellie Samuels apologized to the victims' parents, Nancy and Karim Iskander, for the constant delay in the case. A heartbroken mother wept on the stand as she tearfully described how she desperately tried to wave down Rebecca Grossman just seconds before thesocialite ran over her two sons with her Mercedes during an alleged street race. 'We can't keep continuing this. 10:05 EDT 26 Apr 2022 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 are deeply devastated by the heartbreaking loss of Mark and Jacob Iskander. In fact, the court record will show Mrs. Grossman did not intend to hurt anyone, she did not flee from the accident, and she fully cooperated with the police." The driver that hit the boys was nowhere to be seen. The vigil was held at Three Springs Park, 3000 Three Springs Drive, the neighborhood park where the brothers would play growing up. Well continue to hold on to faith. This program will create scholarships for foster children interested in attending the same schools that the boys had the pleasure of attending. Representatives for the city of Westlake Village did not immediately respond to Law&Crimes request for comment. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. It was not immediately clear if she had an attorney. This is a serious case. Julie Cohen, a representative of the Iskander family, spoke on their behalf. He has pleaded not guilty. The 57-year-old was charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter for running over the kids aged 11 and 9. "This is a devastating loss for our community," State Senator Henry Stern tweeted. The victims were 11-year-old Mark Iskander and his younger brother, 8-year-old Jacob Iskander. Jacob and Marks motherNancy Iskandertestified to walking with three of her sons at the crosswalk. To honor their memory, The Mark and Jacob Iskander Foundation has been established to make sure that the love and kindness that Mark and Jacob left us with, is not only remembered, but multiplied. The judge reportedly denied the defense an opportunity to show evidence their client stopped of her own volitionrather than stopping because of her vehicle breaking down. There were initial inaccurate and premature reports in this case, which speculated falsely about a range of allegations, including but not limited to the alleged involvement of street racing, prior traffic accidents, and prior DUIs, each of which have now been shown to be untrue. Buzbee noted that the Iskander family have sued the City of Westlake and the State of California, alleging that the crossing was a substantial factor in the deaths of their sons. Nancy Iskander said she arrived at the crosswalk where Saddle Mountain Drive meets Triunfo with her three boys in tow. Connor Nagel, one of Mark's closest friends, recalled how quickly they befriended each other once Mark started attending Ascension Lutheran. Nothing will bring Mark and Jacob back and the pain in my heart will remain, but we are happy with the justice we received today., [Screenshot of Grossman via Grossman Burn Foundation; screenshot of investigation via KTTV], Have a tip we should know? let gads_event; Judge Samuels previously rebuked Grossman for not showing up at her court appearances and said, "I have never seen Miss Grossman she has not been to court once. Thankful to the judge," she replied. Grossmans sentence must be proportionate to her crime in order to prevent future similar tragedies, and endangerment of other families and young children. Karim Iskander heard the crash, heard his wife scream, and came running. Mark's arm was broken and he had "blood coming out his mouth," she said. Testimony at the preliminary hearing showed that Grossman had a history of speedingreceiving tickets at a canyon road months before the crash, and back in 2013 on the 101 Freeway. Grossman could receive a sentence of up to 34 years to life in state prison if she is convicted, the DA's office said. He said that her car computer displayed 73 mph. Our Hometown Justice must be served, regardless of Grossmans financial means, status, privilege, and connections.". 'Justice for Mark and Jacob Iskander' and 'Put Rebecca Grossman behind bars' are two Change.org petitions with 18,734 and 32,374 signatures, respectively. She has not been actually charged with DUI. Those emails allegedly included exhortations to add either a stoplight or flashing lights to the crossing, according to Buzbee. Grossman arrived at court with her plastic surgeon husband, Dr Peter Grossman. Emailus. ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); My wife told me Mark got hit, so I ran about 50 steps and I looked at him and it was Jacob, not Mark, he said. 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. She said that after looking both ways, she entered the crosswalk with Zachary on a scooter and Mark and Jacob on foot. Speculative and unsourced reporting only serves to further sensationalize and deepen the pain and loss caused by this tragic accident. Many families do not have the resources to provide their kids with basic necessities such as a single pair of shoes. The orphanage will be in Mark and Mark (11) and Jacob (8) Iskander were tragically killed in an auto accident by an "alleged" drunk driver in September, 2020. Nonprofit Founder Charged with Murder After Allegedly Killing 2 Boys in Hit and Run Mark Iskander, 11, and Jacob Iskander, 8, were killed in September when Rebecca Grossman allegedly. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of Courtesy of the Iskander family. '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.'. And saw that he was in very bad shape.. Although she was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, Grossman is not being charged with DUI. I have people reaching out to me every day asking how they can pray for me, what they can do for me, Nancy Iskander said. Her 5-year-old son, who survived the incident, saw paramedics perform CPR on Jacob, she said. Law enforcement had testified that Grossman was calculated to have been driving at 71.7 miles per hour when she hit the boys. On the evening of Sept. 29, however, the entire family of six (including 5-year-old Zachary and baby Violet) set out on a stroll that would take them across Triunfo Canyon Road to the shores of Westlake Lake. The victims, 11-year-old Mark Iskander and 8-year-old Jacob Iskander, were crossing the street in a marked crosswalk with their parents and siblings on Triunfo Canyon Road in Westlake Village the . The family is suffering. Mark was allegedly carried 100ft on the hood of Grossman's car before she braked, at which point he fell off the car and she ran him over again as she fled the scene, say prosecutors. She is presumed innocent until the government proves this case beyond a reasonable doubt. Although it is standard for murder cases to take many years to wind through the justice system, the Iskander family and community members have been frustrated by the lack of progress. As Delkeskamp spoke, an animal handler placed two boxes on a table behind her. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ It was not unusual for the boys to go on evening walks with their father, Karim Iskander said, but they usually stayed within the confines of their neighborhood south of Westlake Lake. The Mark and Jacob Iskander Foundation celebrates the extraordinary lives of Mark and Jacob Iskander by continuing their mission of love and light. In Egypt, where the Iskander family is from, adoption is illegal. The hearing in a Van Nuys courtroom was to determine whether the Grossman, 58, of Hidden Hills, California, should be brought to trial for the charges. That is hit-and-run.. [emailprotected]. Connor's mother Jenny, a close family friend of the Iskanders, spoke after her son about how their children brought the families together. Grossman hit the boys at 71.7 mph, sheriffs deputyRobert Apodacacalculated. [I]f someone gets killed I hope the family knows that this has been reported repeatedly and sues the city for negligence, said another, according to Buzbee. As far as why God wanted them home, we dont know, but we know he is an all-loving God and he has a plan, and well have to wait to see his plan, Nancy Iskander said. The Grossman Burn Foundation did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. }); Sign up to receive news and updates about all of the good that your support makes possible! ga('ads.send', { After delays , a #prelinary hearing is scheduled in the case where socialite #RebeccaGrossman is accused of racing a former #MLB pitcher before hitting two brothers in a #WestlakeVillage crosswalk. The boys, both deacons at Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Simi, died Sept. 29, 2020, after being hit by a car said to be speeding through a crosswalk. "Two young boys with an entire lifetime ahead of them.". Twelve months after the incident, Grossman remains free on $2-million bail. The child development resource center offers these children access to fresh clothes, nutritional meals, and fun activities. He almost killed us.. He didnt realize at first that both boys had been struck. Crash that Killed Pregnant Mom, 4 Others Was Involved in 13 Prior Wrecks: Prosecutors. Andrea Cavallier For Dailymail.Com ABC News could not immediately reach the Grossman Burn Center for comment. The brothers were identified by friends and by the Acorn newspaper as 9-year-old Jacob Iskander and 11-year-old Mark. 'I heard the engines from two SUVs coming at us at insane speeds,' Iskander said. Grossman has pleaded not guilty. Marks body lay a football fields length down the street, his father estimates. 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 . According to its website, the Grossman Burn Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Grossman Burn Centers Inc, which treats the victims of severe burns all over the world. "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. hitType: 'event', Support from the community has been overwhelming, the Iskander family said. Even as media coverage dwindles, we will be watching, waiting, and praying that Rebecca Grossman is prosecuted appropriately for her heinous crime," the petition concludes. A civil suit filed in January 2021 against Grossman, 58, and Erickson, 53and a second one naming the state of California, its Department of Transportation, Los Angeles County, and the City of Westlake Village for unsafe crosswalk construction are also working their way through the courts. hitType: 'event', document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ The brothers were identified by a local newspaper, The Acorn, as 11-year-old Mark Iskander and 9-year-old Jacob Iskander. Mark Iskander, 11, and Jacob Iskander, 8, were killed in September when Rebecca Grossman allegedly struck them with her car and drove away while driving drunk. That, alone, is comforting.. A sheriffs deputy testified that mark was thrown 254 feet. Iskander welcomed the judges decision to go to trial. I was very proud of them," Karim said. He stands tall, he speaks with confidence. (Source: NBC News) Grossman posted bail and was released about twenty-four hours . 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He died at the scene. (Source: NBC News). Police have claimed that Grossman was driving over the 45mph speed limit and may have been racing with her friend, World Series-winning pitcher Scott Erickson, when she ran over the boys and killed them. We know they are not suffering. They were both coming at us at unbelievable speeds, she said. An attorney for Grossman could not be immediately identified by PEOPLE and it is not clear if she has entered a plea at this time. The Mark & Jacob Iskander Foundation provides support to underserved children. Erickson, whose vehicle entered the crosswalk first and barely missed the boys, according to Nancy Iskander, has been charged with misdemeanor reckless driving, which carries a maximum penalty of three months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Copyright 2000-2023 J.Bee NP Publishing, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Nonprofit Co-Founder Charged With Murder In Alleged Hit-And-Run That Killed Two Young Brothers Rebecca Grossman allegedly struck Jacob and Mark Iskander, then continued driving for 100 feet with one of them on the hood of the car before he fell off and she ran over him again, according to authorities. Audio played by the defense in court showed Grossman telling 911 operators from a Mercedes-Benz that she did not know what she hit and that her airbag just went off. 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For more information on the foundation, go online to markandjacobfoundation.org. The judge pointed out vehicle data which said Grossman had reached 81 mph about a second and a half before the crash. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { Two years after brothers Mark and Jacob Iskander were killed while crossing aWestlake Village street, dozens of neighbors, friends and family clad in white gathered for a vigil Thursday to honor their memory. We know (their father) Karim and I will be with them, Nancy Iskander told the Acorn in the couples first media interview since their sons deaths. We were surprised and disappointed, but (the prosecutors) kept managing our expectations, saying this is the process and be patient and justice will eventually be served, Karim Iskander said. 10:21 EDT 26 Apr 2022. Rebecca Grossman hit the youngsters in front of their parents - then drove off with one of the victims trapped on the hood of her luxury car . media-tech companies with hubs around the world. Who is Rebecca Grossman? They didnt stop before the intersection, she said. The eighth grader was one of many people who spoke at Thursday's vigil for Mark and Jacob Iskander, two young brothers who were fatally struck by a car on Sept. 29, 2020. hitType: 'event', Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. }); 'I still see it every night. "Thousands of lives have been impacted by this tragedy - two, innocent and loving, young boys with their entire life ahead of them were taken away by the complete and intentional disregard for human life, gross negligence, and selfish actions of Grossman. She faces two counts of vehicular manslaughter and a fifth felony count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death but remains free on a $2 million bail. "Mark and Jacob positively impacted many people who knew them," Gorgy said, gesturing to the crowd gathered to honor the boys. "All witnessed by the very eyes of the ones who love them most their parents. pic.twitter.com/W7lCxDXt5m, Demi Moore has not left Bruce Willis's side and is doing everything to make his 'last moments happy', 'Stop it!' Grossmans attorney, Richard Hutton, would not answer questions for this story but did provide the Acorn with a statement: The facts revealed from the critical accident investigation conducted over the last year in this case show that the devastating loss of the lives of Jacob and Mark Iskander was as a result of a tragic car accident near a dangerous and unlit crosswalk at night in Westlake Village, and not as a result of any intentional or criminal act. | Allowing the court process to move forward in the proper way will be the best way to assure the truth is found.. I do apologize for the delays." "Thank you Lord, thank you for Mark. },false) pg.acq.push(function() { eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The family is suffering. Grossman was charged in December with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of vehicular manslaughter, and one count of leaving the scene of an accident. Lawyers for the Los Angeles woman who struck and killed two young brothers in a crosswalk as she was allegedly engaged in a race with another driver says that the citys failure to make the intersection safer is one of the primary causes of the boys deaths. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Marks and Jacobs family and community will continue to grieve this horrific and tragic loss for a lifetime. If Grossman didn't have money and connections, she would have been in custody all this time instead of free on bailIt's time she was put behind bars, where she belongs Iskander family neighbor Julie Cohen, 'This case has taken way too long,' said the judge. He wasnt driving recklessly. She managed to take her 5-year-old son to safety after hearing engine roars and two SUVs driving toward them, but she found her older sons almost dead. Justice for Mark and Jacob Iskander.'.

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