Teen’s stepfather apologizes for infant’s death
Kaylie Silby was convicted last week of improper driving in connection with the death of 2-year-old Omarion Rose (pictured) on Jan. 17.
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By Chris Dumond
Published: July 10, 2008
A week after a judge fined a teenager $500 in connection with the death of a Madison Heights toddler, her stepfather has issued a public statement of apology to the boy’s family on her behalf.
The statement — from Chris Murphy of Madison Heights, stepfather to Kaylie Silby — also strongly defends the teen’s actions in the hours following the January fatality.
“I understand that this statement is long overdue,” Murphy wrote, “but up to this point, we have been under the instruction of our attorney and the state police not to give any statements.”
Silby, 19, was found guilty July 1 of improper driving. According to the evidence presented at her trial, she hit 2-year-old Omarion Rose on Seminole Drive on Jan. 14 as she was on her way to pick up her boyfriend that morning.
The boy, Amherst County Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Maddox said in an earlier interview, had wandered away from his parents’ home in a moment of confusion.
The statement apologizes to the Rose family, and to Omarion’s mother in particular.
“No one could ever imagine the pain that they are going through,” it says. “Nothing could ever be done to fill the void… .”
During the hearing, Silby testified she was driving on Seminole Drive, under the speed limit, when her cell phone rang. She said the road ahead was clear when she looked down to find the phone. As she looked down, she felt what she thought was a pothole, she testified.
When she checked her mirrors, she saw nothing and went on.
In the family’s statement, Murphy notes Silby “has done everything she is supposed to do,” and that her family called police that day after seeing a news report about the incident.
“She stepped forward when many people would not have,” Murphy wrote.
The statement also noted that a re-creation of the accident showed that Silby could not have seen the boy in her mirrors, which was confirmed by police testimony at her trial.
In the wake of public outcry over the sentence, Maddox said Thursday that she doesn’t believe Silby set out to hit a child that morning. She also verified that the teen notified police the same day as the incident.
Silby was charged with reckless driving on March 12, after a lengthy investigation that included extensive forensic testing.
For those who wonder why Silby was not charged with a more serious crime than reckless driving, Maddox pointed out that the judge in the case, after hearing three hours of evidence, acquitted Silby of even reckless driving.
“It’s my job as commonwealth’s attorney to look at all the evidence and all the facts and to charge what the law allows,” she said. “A reckless driving (charge) was the highest charge that we could make based on the evidence in the case.
“The judge after listening to a lot of testimony thought it didn’t rise to the level of reckless (driving) and convicted her of improper (driving).
“Charging any greater charge clearly would not have been appropriate.”
Rose’s family could not be reached for comment.
Public apology letter written by Kaylie Silby’s stepfather
I would like to begin by saying that on behalf of not only Kaylie but also the rest of our family, our sincere condolences and prayers go out to the Rose family and Mrs. Hughes in particular. We are sorry for the loss of Omarion. No one could ever imagine the pain that they are going through. Nothing could ever be done to fill the void; we fully understand that and sympathize with the family. I understand that this statement is long overdue, but up to this point, we have been under the instruction of our attorney and the State Police not to give any statements.
With that being said, there have been many people stating that Kaylie is a cold-blooded killer. This could not be further from the truth. No one would knowingly hit a child and just leave him or her to die, no one. The simple fact of the matter is anyone heading down Seminole Drive that morning would have been subject to hitting Omarion. Everyone who drives at one point or another has taken their eyes off the road and many drivers whether they admit it or not have felt a bump in the road and not stopped. Beyond that, the State Police did a re-creation of the accident and confirmed that Kaylie could not have seen Omarion in her mirrors. If you do not see anything after you feel a bump in the road would you stop? Again, most people wouldn’t.
From the time Kaylie thought she might have been the one to hit Omarion she has done everything she is supposed to do. Contrary to what some media outlets have reported, it was not days before she came forward, and she was never on the run, it was the same day, right around lunchtime. We relinquished the vehicle to the State Police at the same time; it was never washed or doctored in any way. She did not move the car at any time once she returned to the house that morning. She stepped forward when many people would not have.
Also, contrary to what some may say, Kaylie is extremely remorseful. She can hardly look at her own infant son without breaking down. She is withdrawn, depressed and very solemn. Trust me — she is sorry this accident ever occurred. This is something that she will have to deal with everyday for the rest of her life.
Let me finish by saying: this is a terrible accident that no one should ever have to endure. Many lives have been ruined by these events. Please don’t judge someone for an accident that anyone of us could have very well been involved in. And again, to the Rose family and Mrs. Hughes, we do apologize for the loss of Omarion.
On behalf of Kaylie and our family, thank you for your time.
— Chris Murphy
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( ZIGMITCHELL ) on July 14, 2008 at 9:49 am
Yeah the real criminal is the one who was watching the child, why hasn’t she been charge for child neglect, poet?, you so freaking smart! Kaylie isn’t a criminal,but yet a victim in this case, and I’m sorry you think because you are black and that this child was black, that Amherst county favored in Kaylies favor because she’s white,that is absorb. To be so smart , you sure show your true colors in your posts!IF YOU TRUST YOUR CHILD WITH WITH ANYONE AND THEY LET YOUR 2 YEAR OLD CHILD WONDER AWAY SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS FROM YOUR APARTMENT TO A BUSY ROAD,BECAUSE OF WHAT EVER REASON AND YOUR CHILD GETS KILLED BY A PASSING CAR ,WHO HAVES ALL RIGHTS TO THE ROAD,WHO’S AT FOUGHT?
If the driver haves a valid drivers license,the car is legal with tags and insurance ,you’ve done what it takes to be on our roads!Kaylie wasn’t drunk,she wasn’t on drugs,she sure didn’t see him on the side of the road and swerve to hit him,she didn’t commit a crime!THE JUDGE made the right call!
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Posted by ( Article I ) on July 14, 2008 at 9:35 am
Dearest poet, if you had taken the time to read my post, you would know it has nothing to do with me speaking on racism. I commented on barb trying to put a racist spin on the whole thing. You are obviously the one who sees the tragic accident through “black folk” glasses. The tragedy has NOTHING to do with color, only the loss of someone’s child and all of the grief that goes with it. You are obviously a woman that thinks she is far more intelligent than most people and you must love to see your words in print. Please, give it a rest. No need to get your panties in a bunch. It’s not about you or me and really our opinions don’t matter in this case. I know it hurts you to hear that, but c’est la vie.
freedom, you got me I guess. All of this is really just fireball anyway. I know someone that has a Ford Fribulis for sale. 35 fribulis to the gallon in the city and he’s only asking $100 fribulis.
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Posted by ( poet ) on July 13, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Bystander, I’ll tell you who I am one last time. I’m a citizen of this community that still doesn’t need your permission to speak out. Now listen real close this time. Pretend I’m speaking really slow.
I’ve exposed you throuraly in the other thread. I predicted everything you were going to say, phase by phase, and here you are with the same foolishness. You are not going to say anything new You have demonstrated your absolute willingness to continue to perpetuate and wallow in your racist filth.
So since you have been handled, exposed, and dismissed very easily previously, until you can find something new to bring to the table you are nolle prosequi.
ZIGMITCHELL there are a lot of criminals they have to live the rest of their lives with what the’ve done. But guess what? They still had punishment that fit the crime. When was the last time you wrote to the N/A to decry their sentences?
Moving from these worthless specks to a broader issue…
K W Cambell & Article1, guess what geniuses, it was a black child. Why would you suggest that we not speak of the true nature of the crime? Is the life of that black child of so little value to you that you think black citizens should just ignore that fact?
In light of the fact that Amhesrt County has a clear history of devaluing and treating the lives of black people killed in their custody and the case of this child, with far less due diligence, how can you think black people are supposed to keep silent? OH, Oh I know!!! Black folks are supposed to be silent and stupid. We are not supposed to speak out in the face of injustice. Both of your posts are utterly absurd.
On to a broader issue…
What kind of community is this?? Is By- stander, Cambell, Electro, et-al representive of this community now? No wonder the judge didn’t feel a need to proceed with due justice.
I sincerely hope that nothing happens to a loved one of you people, but if it does I would hope you hold yourselves to the same vile standard. Whatever crime is commited against a family member of yours I want to see you publically aplogise to the perp. If someone kills one of your family members, I want to see you publically apologise to that killer for your loved one daring to be in the place they got killed.
In fact, lets carry the logic of these self appointed Einsteins to its obvious conclusion. Why don’t we just codify this into law. Have the family memebers attend the excecutions so they can aplogise to the killer being excecuted. Lets have a time during the sentencing hearing where you have to apologise to whoever committed a crime against you.
In fact why not let someone else serve the sentence or be excecuted?
While you’re answering those questions, regale us with the wisdom where a uncle’s, dad’s, mom’s, stepdad’s, (you name it), apology shows regret for the person who committed the offense? So are you saying a criminal has no responsiblity to demonstrate regret?
Ok tell you what, if anything in my post has offended any of you clowns, my dad says he’s sorry.
What allows a person to come here with this kind of nefariousness being passed off as intelligence? Has this community really sunk so low where this vileness is being posted as right?
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Posted by ( Article I ) on July 13, 2008 at 6:18 am
Did she run off of the road? I never heard she left the street. The poor child wandered into traffic. Nuff said. It’s sad to see people like barb13905 are trying to put a racial spin on the accident. I am sure Kaylie is suffering right along with Omarion’s family. God bless both families. “fribulis” was funny though. Spell check tried to change it to fireballs. I guess that would have worked too.
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Posted by ( ZIGMITCHELL ) on July 12, 2008 at 2:28 pm
WOW,This is why we have a court system,the judge couldnt and wouldnt charge her for something that isn’t her faught!The parent of this child trusted her cousin to watch the little boy, her cousin failed her,not the moms faught or the teen that hit him but instead the cousin is 99% why the little boy is dead!Just neglected a 2 year old for what ever reason , he wasnt important enough that he wondered off to a busy road that any one of us could have been driving that morning…This is a tragedy that could have been prevented if the child was being watch like a 2 year old should be watched!Period!I feel real bad for the mom and the teen that killed this little guy but extremly P.Off that the cousin was to busy in their own little world and allowed this to happend !charges should be pressed on the cousin who is at faught!ANy idiot who thinks Kaylie got away with less then she deserve is wrong,,this poor girl haves to live the rest of her life reliving this nightmare!I hope one day she will be able to realize its nothing she could of done different that morning!I hope the cousin apologizes because thats who needs to step up and be remorseful!Extremly sorry for the parents of Omarion.I hope you can move on from this nightmare and find some closer for your lost!Zig Mitchell
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Posted by ( InnocentBystander ) on July 12, 2008 at 11:38 am
Well, I posted almost 24 hours ago and the newspaper apparently sees fit to not put it up. So, I’ll try again. If this appears twice, blame them.
Biggest question is, Poet, who are you to say the apology isn’t enough? Are you a member of the family? If you are then it just answeres all sorts of questions I have raised about them. If you aren’t, keep your mouth shut. You do not speak for them. They have proven that they are more than capable on their own.
Mr Murphy has more than enough right to apologize on her behalf. He is her legal guardian and she is a minor. One who has been assaulted and dragged through the mud by your abusive rhettoric. If I were her, I would want him to do it because I would be too worried about what else you and other hateful people like you would say. I think that’s one of the things that sickens me most about you. She is 16 years old. Yet you have seen fit to go after her as if she were a hardened crimminal who just hasn’t learned their lesson. Mr Murphy, in the role of loving step-dad, stepped up and took the bullet for her. I say, “Bravo Mr. Murphy. Thank you for being the bigger fmaily here and doing the right thing in the face of certain injustice.“
Poet, or as you will now be known BlindedByHatred, please think before you speak or type or post. You just may end up saying the wrong thing to the wrong person and ave it come back to bite you.
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Posted by ( applebbbs ) on July 12, 2008 at 9:47 am
This was a very generous apology. Kaylie is no more at fault than the Rose family, and the Rose family should also apologize to Kaylie’s family for the heartache that they helped to cause. If the Rose family wants to press the issue further in a civil suit, they might be suprised at the outcome: civil liability may fall on them more squarely than on Kaylie. The people who could best have prevented this accident was the Rose family. The Rose family had a higher duty of care, in that this was their child, than Kaylie had. While a court would likely find the Rose’s negligent by legal standards, they likely would not find Kaylie negligent. Accordingly, I think Virginia is a contributory negligence state. If the court finds that the Roses are the least bit negligent, they get $0 from Kaylie. If, however, the court does not find Kaylie negligent, she could recover from the Roses for her mental suffering. It is awful to lose a child, and no one doubts that. However, it is not fair for anyone to persecute Kaylie for something the ROses were in the best position to prevent.
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Posted by ( kwcampbell ) on July 12, 2008 at 2:44 am
Another race comment! What is it with Lynchburg and race? Does everyone see in black and white only here? A kid gets run over and now all the sudden its another racist issue! PLEASE!!! Enough with it already!! 2 wrongs here.. 1) watch your child. 2) watch the road. It was an accident. Have mercy, people.
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Posted by ( Cleo ) on July 11, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Do some people just sit around and wait for an article that has a black person and a white person involved, just to throw the race card in the mix? Is it that much fun?
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Posted by ( sealadyinva ) on July 11, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Once again, it’s all about accountability. Obviously, this “child” behind the wheel is still not owning up to the responsibility of her actions. Not only did she not stop and check to see if she had hit an animal, which is required by law, her stepfather is stepping up to the plate to apologize for her actions. Maybe she’s too busy texting to apologize? It’s a sad day in America when the life of a child comes down to a $500 fine. Remember this…you will answer to a higher authority when all is said and done.
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