A New England grandfather is devastated following the deaths of his only child and grandchild, who were killed when a suspected drunk driver crashed into their car at high speed. Samir Naili, 35, and his 8-year-old daughter Kashmera died last Saturday night in North Reading, Massachusetts.
According to police, Naili's Honda CRV was stopped at a red light when a white Acura MDX rear-ended them, causing the vehicle to catch fire. First responders and a bystander attempted to rescue the pair from the burning car, but Naili and Kashmera were pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Acura, 21-year-old Matthew Sweeney, was arrested at the location. He faces multiple charges, including two counts of motor vehicle homicide while under the influence and speeding. Sweeney has not yet entered a plea.
Said Naili, the 72-year-old grandfather, has spoken about his grief, describing mixed emotions of anger and sadness. "I wake up at night and during the day, and I just cry, cry, cry, and I say this is God's will," he told The Boston Globe. He reflected on the strong bond between his son and granddaughter, stating, "God didn't want to separate them" because "neither one would have been able to live without the other."
Said described his son, Samir, as a "ray of sun" who was devoted to his daughter. He noted that Samir, motivated by fatherhood, had completed two computer science degrees at a local community college. Kashmera was remembered as kind, generous, and helpful, and "touched by an angel." Her grandfather recalled an instance where she ran across a Walmart parking lot to help a woman who had dropped her groceries. Her dream was to work with sick children at St. Jude Children's Hospital.
Samir Naili and Kashmera had been living with Said Naili for several years after Samir's split from Kashmera's mother, Jamie Carr. Carr expressed that she does not believe in "closure," stating, "There's just learning to live and remembering her. And that's what I want is for people to never forget this awesome little girl."
Sweeney appeared in Woburn District Court, where his bail was set at $250,000. His attorney stated that Sweeney has no recollection of the crash, citing a history of "lost time and blackouts" related to a mental illness. The court heard that Sweeney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in September 2024 and had been involuntarily hospitalized twice. His defense claims he stopped taking prescribed antipsychotic medications due to alleged chest pains. The judge has ordered a 15-day mental health evaluation to determine Sweeney's competency to stand trial. He is scheduled for a status hearing on September 11.