Playground Crash a Murder Case

In a heart-rending memorial service at which two people collapsed with grief and several were led away sobbing, a community wrestled Wednesday with the imponderable: How can a person intentionally kill two children?

“There is a devil, and the devil wants to take you out,” Pastor Tom Bazacas said at Costa Mesa’s Lighthouse Coastal Community Church, across the street from the day-care center playground where Steven Allen Abrams crashed his car Monday, killing two preschoolers. “Don’t tell me that there is no devil,” Bazacas said. “I stared into that man’s eyes and saw nothing there.”

Abrams, 39, who police say told them he wanted to “execute” innocent children, has been charged with two counts of murder in the crash, which killed 4-year-old Sierra Soto and 3-year-old Brandon Wiener. A teacher’s aide and four other children also were injured, two of them seriously.

On Wednesday, a standing-room-only crowd of about 1,000 crammed into the church and into a battery of white chairs set up outside. The mission was to remember the youngsters who died and to pray for the recovery of those injured.

“I have a huge vise in my chest right now,” Bazacas told the crowd, which included many of the school’s children and their parents, as well as some of the paramedics who had first responded to the call. “These are the life moments that stretch us to the max,” Bazacas said. “We’re here to have a soul-searching experience, maybe to evaluate our community, our priorities and our lives.”

Early in the service, Sheryl Hawkinson--director of Southcoast Early Childhood Learning Center, where the tragedy occurred--collapsed and was taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, where she was treated for stress and exhaustion. “She should be OK,” said Jim Gottenbos, a paramedic who helped her at the scene. “She’s got a lot to deal with in her life right now.”

Near the end of service, Isabella Wiener--Brandon’s grandmother--fainted and had to be revived by paramedics.

Others in the congregation hugged each other and sobbed audibly during a service that included hymns and affectionate words of remembrance from some who had known the two children.

“Sierra was such a lovable child,” said her teacher, Sina Sami. “She was always willing to play with everyone. She was so smart--the first one to spell her name. She was a dancer, and she loved her trophies.”

Azizi Williams, Brandon’s teacher, remembered him as a warm and loving child. “He always wanted to help the students,” she said, “even the teachers. He was smart and mature and carried himself well. And how this boy loved to clean: He was a dream, asking for the vacuum cleaner every day.”

“The most special thing about Brandon,” Williams said, “was his affection. We will all miss holding his hand.”