Katharine McPhee’s family nanny was reportedly the victim in fatal crash at car dealership
Katharine McPhee and David Foster’s family nanny was reportedly the woman who died last week after being run over by a car inside a Toyota dealership in Mission Hills.
A 55-year-old woman was killed last Wednesday when a customer driving an SUV at Hamer Toyota lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the reception area. Two other people were injured in the accident and survived, according to authorities.
A spokesperson for the Hamer Toyota dealership on Wednesday identified the woman who died as Yadira Calito. TMZ reported on Tuesday that Calito was McPhee and Foster’s family nanny.
“At Hamer Toyota, we take the safety of our customers and our community very seriously,” the spokesperson said in a statement provided to The Times.
“We are fully cooperating with the Los Angeles Police Department as they conduct their investigation into this unfortunate event. Our commitment is to ensure transparency, assist the LAPD in every possible way, and to learn from this incident so we can prevent such tragedies in the future. In these moments of profound sadness, we ask our community to join us in remembering Yadira and extending our collective support to her loved ones.”
Reports of Calito’s death surfaced after McPhee returned home early from Asia due to a “horrible tragedy” in the family. The singer and “Smash” and “Scorpion” star, who had been touring Asia with her record-producer husband, did not specify what the tragedy was at the time.
McPhee and Foster reportedly employed Calito to look after their 2-year-old son, Rennie. It’s unclear if their son joined them on tour.
“At least one of us needs to get back home to our family,” McPhee said Thursday in a statement addressed to fans who had purchased tickets to see her and Foster in Jakarta, Indonesia. “Please know how sorry I am and how much I wish to return one day and perform for you all.”
Katharine McPhee Foster has bowed out of two shows in Indonesia after ‘a loss in the family.’ Husband David Foster will perform their Jakarta shows solo.
On the day of the accident, authorities told The Times that a woman in her 50s was wounded in the dealership accident and transported to a regional trauma center where she died. The car also struck a 35-year-old employee who suffered a head and foot injury, as well as a 23-year-old employee who sustained an arm laceration.
The Los Angeles Police Department identified the operator of the vehicle as an 84-year-old woman who lives in Mission Hills. She appeared to have accelerated accidentally instead of braking, according to a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department. The driver was not arrested or injured in the crash.
Various news outlets, such as People and TMZ, began reporting Calito’s death as early as Friday, citing anonymous sources. The Times also received an anonymous email on Friday saying that McPhee and Foster’s family nanny had died.
After McPhee’s sudden departure, Foster performed a modified version of their show — billed as “An Intimate Evening With David Foster & Katharine McPhee” — solo during the final two stops on the Asia leg of their tour. The couple is scheduled to resume the tour this fall in Warren, Mich.
The award-winning composer and the “American Idol” alum wed in June 2019 and share one child. Foster also has six adult daughters from previous relationships.
Times intern Cari Spencer contributed to this report.
Police believe the driver mistakenly accelerated when trying to brake, sending the car into the customer reception area. Four people were hit.
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