Three friends, including the parents of a 9-month-old boy, were killed in a car crash outside of Atlanta, according to investigators.
Stillman College, the Alabama school where 24-year-old Elliott was a current student and Gardner and Lawrence were alumni, identified the three crash fatalities as Sieas Elliott, Destiny Gardner, and Varick Lawrence, respectively.
According to ABC affiliate WSB-TV, the incident occurred on Friday, May 23 along Interstate 75 and Old Dixie Road in Forest Park.
The crash is still being investigated, according to the publication. People have called Clayton County Police for more information.
“This is a terrible tragedy for everyone in our Stillman family,” Stillman President Dr. Yolanda W. Page stated. “The spirit of each of these proud Stillmanites will live on with all who were greeted by their warm smiles and welcoming personality.”
“The entire Stillman College community mourns this heartbreaking loss,” Page told the audience. “We extend our sincere condolences to their families, friends, classmates, and teammates during this incredibly difficult time.”
Lawrence and Gardner have a nine-month-old boy named Zaire, according to WSB-TV. According to the local publication, the couple had plans to marry.
“We should be planning a wedding, not funerals,” said Lawrence’s grandma, Dot Mitchell.
Lawrence participated in baseball and was a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity at Stillman College. After graduating from Stillman in 2023, he became a baseball instructor in the Atlanta region.
Gardner, who graduated from Stillman in 2022 with a degree in criminal justice, worked as a juvenile officer at the DeKalb Regional Youth Detention Center, according to Stillman, where she and Lawrence “were deeply engaged with the Stillman family and broader community.”
Elliot planned to return to Stillman for the 2025-2026 school year to complete his degree in early childhood education, according to a GoFundMe page set up to generate funds for his memorial fund. He also served as a student assistant baseball coach and, like Lawrence, belonged to the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
Terrance Whittle, the college’s director of sports and former head baseball coach from 2018-2025, said in a statement released by Stillman that he was “deeply saddened” by the deaths of Lawrence, Gardner, and Elliot. He explained: “Their legacy will live on at Stillman through the relationships they formed while here.”
“My heart will forever weep with the families while also celebrating the lives of Varick and Sieas. I had the honor of coaching two of my hundreds of sons,” Whittle said. “I will never forget the spirit and connectedness of heart and brotherhood they brought to my life and all those that walked with us.”