Nonprofit founder charged with murder after hit-and-run that killed 2 boys: DA

Two brothers, ages 11 and 8, were crossing the street when they were struck.

December 30, 2020, 1:46 PM

A co-founder of a nonprofit is facing murder charges after she allegedly drove into two young brothers, killing them, in suburban Los Angeles County, prosecutors said.

Eleven-year-old Mark Iskander and his 8-year-old brother Jacob Iskander were with their parents, crossing a Westlake Village street in a marked crosswalk, when they were struck by a car on Sept. 29, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said.

PHOTO: Lorraine Maralian and her son Anthony Maralian of Westlake Village place flowers and pray at a growing memorial for two brothers who were fatally injured while crossing  Triunfo Canyon Road, Westlake Village, Calif., Sept. 30, 2020.
Lorraine Maralian and her son Anthony Maralian place flowers and pray at a growing memorial for two brothers who were fatally injured while crossing Triunfo Canyon Road at Saddle Mountain Drive. Rebecca Grossman, 57, a co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation was arrested on two counts of vehicular manslaughter in the death of the two juvenile pedestrians that were in the crosswalk, Westlake Village, Calif., Sept. 30, 2020.
Al Seib/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag

The suspected driver, Rebecca Grossman, was allegedly speeding at the time, prosecutors said. She's also accused of fleeing the scene, "eventually stopping about one-quarter mile away from the scene when her car engine cutoff," prosecutors said.

Two brothers were killed when they were hit by a car, in Westlake Village, Calif., Sept. 29, 2020.
KABC
Two brothers were killed when they were hit by a car, in Westlake Village, Calif., Sept. 29, 2020.
KABC

Grossman, 57, is facing two felony counts each of murder and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, prosecutors announced Wednesday. She's also facing one felony count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death, prosecutors said.

Grossman and her husband founded the Grossman Burn Foundation, a Los Angeles County-based nonprofit that provides burn prevention education and burn treatment, according to its website. The Grossman Burn Foundation is the "philanthropic arm" of the Grossman Burn Centers, which were founded by Rebecca Grossman's father-in-law, according to the website.

Rebecca Grossman accepts the Betty Fisher Legacy Award at Evening of Hope 2017, May 18, 2017, in Universal City, Calif.
Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images

Grossman, of Hidden Hills, California, is expected to be arraigned Wednesday. If convicted, she could face a maximum of 34 years to life in prison. It's unclear at this time if Grossman has an attorney.

The Grossman Burn Foundation declined to comment to ABC News Wednesday.