Woman who didn’t stop after e-scooter crash killed siblings, 16 and 9, avoids jail

Deimante Ziobryte, 21, failed to stop after a crash which killed Roman Casselden, 16, and his nine-year-old sister Darcie, who were on an e-scooter

15:30, 06 May 2026Updated 16:05, 06 May 2026

Cassie and Roman Casselden, aged nine and 16, died at the scene(Image: Essex Police)

A driver who failed to stop after a crash[1] which killed a brother and sister has avoided jail.

Roman Casselden, 16, and his nine-year-old sister Darcie Casselden were riding an e-scooter and tragically died at the scene of the horror collision in Ashlyns, Pitsea, Essex[2], on February 1 last year.

Deimante Ziobryte, 21, earlier pleaded guilty to failing to stop[3] at the scene of a collision. The charge said Ziobryte was the driver of an Audi A1 which failed to stop following an accident which caused injury to Roman and Darcie. She wept in the dock at Basildon Magistrates' Court as victim impact statements from the children's parents were read out today.

Their mother Emma Keeling said in a statement read to the court that she had "sleepless nights every night" and the incident had "ruined my life". "I will never be the same person again because of it," she said.

Their father, Alec Casselden, said he had "nightmares of them lying in the road alone".

He said: "Why would she leave two children to die and drive off?"

The case was heard at Basildon Magistrates' Court

Essex Police[4] arrested Ziobryte on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving shortly after the offence. But in January, the force said this charge was no longer being pursued.

The incident happened as the children were approaching a junction on an e-scooter and Ziobryte's vehicle collided with them, Jasmin Akter, prosecuting, told the court.

"There's CCTV evidence that shows the defendant stops away from the scene," she said. She said Ziobryte made phone calls to her brother and to her partner but did not call emergency services or return to the scene.

Ziobryte was today handed a three-month custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months, along with 80 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation days.

She was also banned from driving for three years, beginning on March 6, and ordered to pay ?239 in costs.

Hulusi Ali, mitigating, said: "This was a panic-driven failure in the aftermath of a catastrophic event." He read from a letter from Ziobryte, who has recently given birth, which said she wanted to express "my sincere remorse".

"I've relived the events every day and I know I will carry the weight of these events with me for the rest of my life," she said. Mr Ali said Ziobryte "accepts she should have stopped immediately, she accepts she should have contacted the emergency services".

He said police found her in her vehicle nearby and "she admitted to the police at the scene" about her involvement.

Prosecutor Rohini Majumdar said at a previous hearing that Ziobryte "swerved to avoid a collision" but made contact and the two youths suffered fatal injuries as a result.

She said Ziobryte "continued to drive and didn't stop" until later when she "made multiple calls to family members but not to police or emergency services". Ms Majumdar added: "At no point did the defendant return to the scene of the collision to speak to police."

Roman and Darcie died of traumatic head injuries after they were struck while travelling on the e-scooter along Ashlyns approaching Stokefelde, and inquest earlier heard.

Emergency services attended and Darcie was pronounced dead at 7.10pm, while Roman was pronounced dead at 7.50pm.

Mr Ali said Ziobryte "has recently given birth to a young daughter who is three weeks old". He said that "the prosecution concluded she wasn't the cause of the accident". Ziobryte pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to failing to stop at the scene of a collision.

Their mother Emma said in a statement released through police that "their love, kindness and spirit live on in the hearts of all who knew them".

Deputy district judge Jennifer Twite said: "This is clearly an incredibly sad case." She said it was "impossible to imagine the grief that Darcie and Roman's parents are going through".

"I've no doubt their suffering was increased knowing you didn't stop at the scene of the accident," she told Ziobryte.

She said it was "lucky in this case that other people did stop but that's not guaranteed".

She noted her previous good character, her early guilty plea and that she had recently given birth.

References

1. ^ crash (www.mirror.co.uk)
2. ^ Essex (www.mirror.co.uk)
3. ^ failing to stop (www.mirror.co.uk)
4. ^ Essex Police (www.mirror.co.uk)