PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WVEC) -- A woman charged with second degree murder for the deaths of two young children killed in a crash on I-264 Monday afternoon made her first appearance in court Tuesday morning.
Takiara Lewis-White was arraigned in Portsmouth Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. She told Judge Joel Crowe that she planned to hire an attorney.
Outside the courthouse, Lewis-White's mother, Sharmaine Lewis, told 13News Now that the girls who passed away were not related to her daughter, but they are like family.
"Words can't express how I feel about the two children at all. It's like I lost my own, and it's hard, it's really hard," said Lewis.
Lewis said that her one-year-old grandson, Kwame Smith, was also in the SUV but was not injured. She says the boy, who was wearing a seat belt, is going to be re-evaluated by doctors to make sure that he is okay.
She does not know why her daughter didn't stop when police tried to pull her over.
A Virginia State Trooper clocked an SUV at 77 miles-per-hour in a 55 mile-per-hour zone around 2:50 p.m. Before the trooper could stop the vehicle, it quickly accelerated and made a sudden lane change toward the exit ramp.
Takiara Lewis-White lost control of the vehicle and it ran off the roadway and struck several trees.
Shawnta Wilson, 5, and Destiny Wilson, 8, were unrestrained in the vehicle and were ejected upon impact. The trooper rendered CPR to both girls until medics arrived. They were both pronounced deceased at the scene.
School officials release the following statement:
Portsmouth Public Schools is deeply saddened by this tragedy. Destiny and Shawnta Wilson will be greatly missed by their teachers, peers and staff. Westhaven Elementary School will have a moment of silence in their memory this week. The School Psychologist is on site and will assist any students or teachers in coping with this loss. The Westhaven Elementary School Principal has also been in contact with the family.
Lewis-White was evaluated at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and then taken to Portsmouth City Jail. She was transferred to the Hampton Roads Regional Jail on Tuesday.
She is charged with felony elude, driving while suspended, reckless driving by speed, two counts of second degree murder, and three counts of felony child neglect.
The accident happened on westbound I-264 at the Greenwood Drive exit ramp.
Sharmaine Lewis says she spoke to her daughter on the phone from jail Monday night and says she's very remorseful.
"I know she just kept saying she's sorry, she's sorry, she's sorry," said Lewis.
Lewis-White has a preliminary hearing scheduled for September 29.
A prayer ceremony was scheduled for the Wilson sisters Tuesday evening at their family church.
