CHATHAM, Ill. — A quiet afternoon in this small Illinois village turned to horror on April 28 when a Jeep tore through the YNot Outdoors Summer and After School Camp, leaving four young people dead and six others injured. The crash, now under investigation by the Illinois State Police, has shattered the tight-knit community of Chatham, where families are grappling with an unthinkable loss.
It happened just after 3 p.m. on a Monday. A female driver, whose identity remains under wraps, plowed her vehicle through the camp’s building on South Main Street. The impact was catastrophic. Four victims, believed to be children and teens aged 4 to 18, were killed. Six others were rushed to nearby hospitals, their conditions undisclosed as authorities piece together the chaos. The driver was taken into custody at the scene, and police are probing whether alcohol played a role. No charges have been announced as the investigation unfolds.
The YNot camp, a local staple, offers after-school programs and summer activities for kids in a rural pocket southwest of Springfield. On any given day, it’s a place of laughter, crafts, and games. But on April 28, it became a scene of twisted metal and shattered glass. Emergency responders arrived to find the Jeep lodged in the wreckage, with victims scattered inside and out. Three of the deceased were found outside the building, one crushed within. The sheer force of the crash left first responders shaken, though they worked swiftly to secure the area and tend to the wounded.
Chatham, with its 13,000 residents, isn’t used to this kind of tragedy. The village’s police department, working alongside state troopers, has cordoned off the site as forensic teams comb through debris for answers. Authorities haven’t released the victims’ names, pending notification of families, but the loss of young lives has cast a pall over the community. Schools and local businesses are bracing for the ripple effects as grief counselors are dispatched to help students and staff.
The Illinois State Police issued a statement confirming their role in the investigation, emphasizing a methodical approach to determining the cause. They’re looking at everything—vehicle speed, road conditions, and the driver’s state at the time of the crash. The Sangamon County Coroner’s Office is assisting with autopsies to confirm identities and causes of death, a grim task that could take days.
For now, the YNot camp remains closed, its future uncertain. The building, heavily damaged, stands as a stark reminder of a day that changed Chatham forever. The driver, held by police, awaits questioning as the community waits for clarity amid the sorrow.
Four people are dead, six injured, and a village is in mourning after a Jeep crashed into an after-school program in Chatham, Illinois, on April 28. The driver is in custody, and the investigation is ongoing.