Overview
- Deimante Ziobryte, 21, was sentenced Wednesday at Basildon Magistrates’ Court to three months in custody suspended for 12 months, plus 80 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation days, a three‑year driving ban and £239 in costs.
- Essex Police said after a year‑long inquiry that no offence was identified relating to the cause of the 1 February 2025 collision in Ashlyns, Pitsea, so prosecutors did not pursue causing death by dangerous driving.
- CCTV shown in court indicated Ziobryte stopped away from the scene, phoned her brother and partner for up to 20 minutes, and neither called 999 nor returned to the crash site.
- Victim impact statements from parents Emma Keeling and Alec Casselden described PTSD, sleepless nights and nightmares about Roman, 16, and Darcie, 9, lying in the road alone.
- The offence carries a six‑month maximum and the judge cited Ziobryte’s age, clean record, early guilty plea and recent childbirth in imposing a suspended term, after a letter from her expressed sincere remorse.