Drunk driver, 66, appears in court with a cast after smashing into boating club and killing two kids celebrating at birthday party in Michigan

The drunk driver charged with second-degree murder of two children appeared in court Tuesday with a cast on her right arm.

Marshella Chidester, 66, has been charged with second-degree murder. She allegedly crashed her SUV into the wall of the Swan Creek Boat Club, where a children’s birthday party was being held on Saturday.

Lana, eight, and Zayn, five, both died in the wreck in Berlin Township, Michigan, while their mother, Mariah Dodds, and older brother, Jayden, fight for their lives.

As she entered the courtroom on Tuesday, the livestream showed Chidester entering with a cast on her right arm, which appeared to indicate she suffered an injury during the incident.

The suspect has been in custody since the accident. The judge granted her bail for the $1.5 million requested by the prosecutor, at the request of some of the victims’ families.

Lana, eight, and Zayn, five (seen together center) were both killed in the wreck, while their mother, Mariah (right), and older brother, Jayden (left), fight for their lives

Lana (left) and Zayn (right), the crash victims, are seen with their older brother Jayden in an earlier family photo

Surveillance footage showed the suspected drunk driver swerving erratically before crashing into a boat club where the children’s party was being held, injuring or killing a total of 15 people.

Prosecutor Jeff Yorkey informed the court that Chidester had a history of substance abuse, which her friends and family had confirmed, in support of the $1.5 million bail.

Defense attorney Bill Colovos asked the judge to set Chidester’s bond at $100,000. He claimed she had been suffering from ‘seizures’ in her legs since November. He also claimed she had only had a bowl of chili and a glass of wine four hours before the collision.

“This isn’t a monster,” Colovos said. “It’s terrible what happened, but there are some things we have no control over.”

Chidester’s attorney also pointed out that she has no history of reckless driving or traffic tickets.

Yorkey argued that Chidester showed no signs of a seizure before the crash and that her blood alcohol level was “significantly above the legal limit.”

Raquel Smouthers (left), the aunt of the two deceased children, testified in court

She was at the party when Chidester killed her niece and nephew

Chidester’s livestream showed the suspect walking into the courtroom with a cast on her right arm, indicating she suffered an injury during the incident.

Prosecutor Jeff Yorkey (pictured left) informed the court that Chidester had a history of substance abuse, which her friends and family had confirmed, in support of the $1.5 million bail.

Bill Colovos (pictured left), the attorney, asked the judge to set Chidester’s bond at $100,000. He claimed she had been suffering from ‘seizures’ in her legs since November

If the suspect pays her bail, she will be forced to give up her passport and alcohol, wear a chain and not drive.

Chidester, who The Detroit News was discovered to be the former commodore of the boat club, will appear at a probable cause conference scheduled for April 30, followed by a preliminary investigation on May 6.

The children’s aunt, Raquel Smouthers, testified in court. She said she was at the party when Chidester killed her niece and nephew.

“They were sitting at that table eating, and this woman drove her car through this building and destroyed all our lives,” said an almost inconsolable Smouthers. “No one should ever go to a birthday party thinking he or she is going to die.”

Dodds is suing Chidester and the tavern where she allegedly drank before getting back into her car, the law firm representing Dodds said AP News.

She suffered broken ribs, a collapsed lung and cuts and bruises, while her son broke his legs and several ribs and fractured his skull.

a GoFundMe was established to cover the funeral costs of the children.

Gruesome footage captured the aftermath as scattered balloons and celebratory cups littered the rubble.

Horrifying footage showed scattered balloons and party cups after a drunk driver crashed into a children’s birthday party, killing two young siblings and leaving at least nine victims fighting for their lives (photo: Broken wall at the venue)

Flowers were left on Sunday at the spot where the driver smashed through a wall at the Swan Boat Club during a children’s birthday party the day before

The horrors unfolded around 3 p.m. Saturday in Berlin Township, Michigan, when officials said the vehicle flew more than 25 feet into the Swan Boat Club where the party was being held.

Helicopters were used to transport the victims to nearby hospitals, leaving nine of the thirteen surviving victims in life-threatening condition

Authorities respond to Swan Creek Boat Club after a driver drove a vehicle through a building where a children’s birthday party was taking place

The Swan Creek Boat Club in the municipality of Berlin, where two children were killed and several other people were injured on Saturday afternoon

At a news conference held by Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough, he explained how when the woman crashed her car into the building, she drove another twenty feet in because of her speed.

A huge presence of first responders rushed to the scene just after 3pm, where Goodnough said it was “extremely chaotic” with “a high level of emotions.”

One child was reportedly trapped underneath the vehicle as it flew through the building, while the brother and sister who died were tragically pronounced dead at the scene.

Helicopters and ambulances took nine victims to nearby hospitals, who were in life-threatening condition.

Other victims were also taken to the hospital in cars, Goodnough said.