Driver who killed Atlanta family on Easter in 2009 released early, mother upset
Outrage after killer released
A woman is outraged after she learned that Aimee Michael, who was convicted of killing her daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren in a crash on Easter Sunday in 2009, was released on parole in December.
ATLANTA - A South Fulton woman says she was blindsided after learning the woman convicted of causing a deadly Easter crash that killed four of her family members was released from prison — and no one told her.
What we know:
Kathy Smith says the news reopened deep emotional wounds from the 2009 crash on Camp Creek Parkway that claimed the lives of her daughter Delisia, son-in-law Robert, and two grandchildren, Kayla and Ethan. The crash killed five people in total and sent shockwaves through the metro Atlanta community.
The driver, Aimee Michael, was convicted of five counts of vehicular homicide and sentenced to 36 years in prison. Her mother was also sentenced to eight years for tampering with evidence. However, Smith recently learned — through a friend on social media — that Michael had been released on parole last December.
"He said, ‘She’s out.’ I said, ‘You’re kidding me.’ He said, ‘No, she’s out,’" Smith recalled.
The Georgia Department of Pardons and Paroles confirmed Michael was released on Dec. 10, 2024, after serving 14 years. She was eligible for parole after seven years.
Smith said she was never contacted by the parole board or the prison system. When she reached out to the Board of Pardons and Paroles herself, she was informed that she had not registered with the state to receive notifications.
What they're saying:
"I’m so disappointed. I’m disappointed in our justice system," Smith said. "She caused five deaths — four of them were my family. She needs to sit there and think about what she did."
Michael is currently staying in a rehabilitation facility in Emanuel County, officials confirmed.
Despite the painful revelation, Smith said this year marks a turning point for her emotionally. For the first time since the accident, the 71-year-old says she plans to participate in her church’s Easter program — a step she once thought she might never take.
"I couldn’t even go to church on Easter for years," she said. "Easter brought nothing but pain."
The crash and its aftermath remain a deeply emotional chapter for Smith and her loved ones — one she believes the system failed to handle with the care and respect it deserved.