The statements read in court on Thursday ranged from regret to rage to profound sadness.
A father’s torment for years and opportunities lost.
A best friend’s longing for her soul mate.
A mother’s unending ache.
Camden Kiggins’ death in a car crash two years ago has upended all of their lives, they told a judge on Thursday.
And it didn’t have to happen.
‘It’s just so senseless’
Luke Flowers arrived at the Kiggins’ home on Christmas Eve 2022 to visit his girlfriend, Camden’s sister, Ainsley.
The two hung out before leaving — with Camden — to go to Sheetz.
They ordered food and ate in the parking lot before heading back to the Kiggins’ house, police said.
Flowers, now 20, of Sewickley was driving an Audi Q5 that night.
As he drove along the snow-covered Fern Hollow Road in Sewickley Heights around 10:14 p.m., Flowers told police that he hit a guardrail. His vehicle was found about 30 feet off the side of the road, up a hill and between two trees.
Ainsley, who was the front-seat passenger, was injured.
Camden, 20, had sustained critical injuries and died several hours later. She had been in the back seat.
According to the vehicle’s computer data, police said Flowers was driving 88 mph 3.5 seconds before the crash. The speed limit on the two-lane road is 35 mph.
His blood alcohol level, the prosecutor said, was 0.096%, and he had active marijuana in his system. Detectives charged him several months later.
In September, Flowers pleaded guilty to homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle and related counts.
On Thursday, Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Kelly Bigley ordered him to serve 18 to 36 months in state prison.
“It’s just so senseless,” she said.
‘The pain is unbearable’
One after one, Camden’s loved ones approached the front of the courtroom to talk about what was lost in her death.
Toby Kiggins, Camden’s father, told the judge that he had been exceedingly close with his daughter for the first 14 years of his life — until he and his wife divorced.
“I was not physically present and only supportive from a distance,” he said. “I did not show them the love and care I had so deeply in my heart.”
Mr. Kiggins said his contact with Camden in the years after had been sporadic, though, in the last several months of her life, they’d been working to repair the relationship.
“I just wanted to be a part of her life again,” he said. “That I would try and make up for lost time.”
“The pain is unbearable.”
Kaylah Bemis told the court that she had just moved into the Quaker Valley School District on the first day of fourth grade when she met Camden.
They shared the same birthday and became best friends.
The two loved being by the water, Bemis told the judge, driving hours to sit at Lake Erie, or to look at a waterfall.
There was a particular railroad bridge over a large creek in Bridgeville, Bemis said, where they’d go and jump into the water time and again.
Bemis only learned much later that Camden was terrified.
“She was afraid of every single jump, but she went with me every time because she knew I loved it so much.”
The two vacationed with each other’s families and talked about their someday weddings and having children at the same time.
“We planned for the future together,” Bemis said.
After Camden died, Bemis said, she dropped out of college and quit her job.
“Losing Camden has permanently altered my life,” she said. “My heart actually hurts.”
Sadie Barandi became friends with Camden in one of her first classes at Ohio University. During an icebreaker exercise, they both noted they were studying computer science and were from Pittsburgh.
“It felt like I was supposed to meet her,” Barandi wrote in her victim impact statement.
They took classes together, ate together and lived in dorm rooms side by side.
“Having a best friend to be around all the time was my favorite part of college,” Barandi said.
She didn’t think that she could return to school after Camden died.
“There was so much more I needed to learn from her,” she wrote.
But Barandi did return.
“I decided to go back to school for her,” she said.
In her statement, Barandi quoted a passage she’d read about grief that had stuck with her: “The pain doesn’t go away, you just have to make room for it.”
Featured Local Businesses
‘It was a perfect Christmas Eve’
Mandy Kiggins was the last person to speak.
Since her daughter’s death, Ms. Kiggins said, she has not experienced a single moment of contentment or completeness.
“I stand before you hollowed out,” she said. “I am empty.”
Her relationship with her younger daughter is strained, she is no longer able to work like she used to.
She barely leaves the house.
Ms. Kiggins told the court that Camden excelled at lacrosse and loved music — playing flute, piccolo, guitar, ukulele and keyboard.
She left notebooks full of song lyrics she’d written all through her bedroom, as well as every award she’d ever gotten since elementary school.
“Her friendships were deep and forever,” her mom said.
After Camden’s death, even though she had only just finished her third semester at Ohio University, her daughter had made such an impact that the school took down their American flag and presented it to Ms. Kiggins.
They also honored Camden with a plaque and will have a moment of silence at graduation this spring to remember her.
Everyone loved her daughter, she said, recalling that she was silly and loving and kind.
At Christmas Eve dinner, just hours before the crash, Ms. Kiggins said, she and her daughters laughed and talked about the future so bright — where they would live, how many kids they’d have and traveling.
“It was a perfect Christmas Eve,” she said.
But then Flowers walked in the back door.
“He arrived high and drunk and hid it all from us,” Ms. Kiggins said. “We had no idea he was impaired.”
She expressed rage at Flowers — his decision to drive that day even though he was impaired.
“She loved and trusted Luke. He killed her. He ruined my life.”
Still, Ms. Kiggins continued, “I want Luke to know that I still care for him.”
“He has a future. Camden does not.”
‘He will never forgive himself’
Gretchen Flowers, the defendant’s mother, was the only person to speak on her son’s behalf.
She called Camden a beautiful person inside and out — someone she knew and cared about. Her son had dated Ainsley for two-and-a-half years.
Every day, she said, she thinks of the Kiggins family.
“It is an ache that sits in my heart throughout the day,” she said. “Our family wants to express profound sorrow and devastation for this loss. We offer no excuses for Luke’s actions.
“He will never forgive himself.”
Although the Kiggins’ family told the court that they felt Flowers was being disrespectful when he returned to in-person schooling after the crash, his defense attorney, Robert Del Greco Jr., said he did so at the advice of his therapist.
Flowers also went on to college in Michigan to try to get away.
His client, Del Greco said, expressed “immediate, constant and sincere” acceptance of responsibility from the outset.
Absent his speed and impairment, the attorney said, “this is an accident and not a crime.”
Flowers spoke to the court for three minutes, reading from a folded sheet of yellow legal paper.
He called the crash an “unforgivable event.”
“I take full responsibility for the death of Camden and injury to Ainsley,” he said. “I will never get over the pain, suffering and harm I’ve caused.”
“I loved the Kiggins family and still do.”
Flowers said he would spend the rest of his life trying to honor Camden’s life.
“I am so desperately sorry. I know my words are small in the face of the unbelievable grief I have caused,” he said. “I’m not sure I will ever forgive myself so I don’t expect you to.”