Twins who were orphaned by boy racers win $33 million payout as aunt who adopted them hails ‘justice’
A jury in California has awarded $33 million (£26 million) in damages to twin girls orphaned when a teenage street racer crashed into their family's car, killing both their parents. The San Mateo County jury found 17-year-old Cesar Morales primarily responsible for the 2022 collision, with liability also apportioned to fellow racer Kyle Harrison and Morales's parents for negligent supervision. The girls' aunt, Liza Spiridon, who adopted them and brought the wrongful death lawsuit, said the verdict brought "clarity" rather than closure.
Madison and Olivia Ammen, now 11, were seven when their parents, Greg Ammen, 44, and Grace Spiridon, 42, were killed just minutes from home after Morales and Harrison, racing at speeds of 80–100mph, collided with their Chevrolet Bolt in Redwood City. Jurors apportioned 60% of the blame to Morales, 20% to his father Arnold Morales, 15% to Harrison and 5% to his mother Susana Salto Alvarez, ordering combined payouts of nearly $19 million in economic damages plus $7 million each in non-economic damages. Morales was previously sentenced to just 90 days' home detention after a criminal manslaughter conviction, while Harrison, jailed for eight years, was found dead in his cell weeks later; the parents' attorney has called the negligence finding against them a "travesty".
- Twin girls awarded $33 million after both parents killed in street race crash
- Teen driver Cesar Morales found 60% liable; his parents also blamed
- Aunt who adopted twins calls verdict "clarity", not closure
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters would argue that a substantial award recognises the lifelong financial and emotional consequences for children who lost both parents, and helps provide stable care, education and future security. They may also see it as an important form of civil accountability where reckless driving is alleged to have caused devastating harm, reinforcing that roads must not be treated as venues for racing.
The case against
Critics would argue that, without fuller information on liability, insurance coverage and how the figure was calculated, it is difficult to judge whether a $33 million award is proportionate or fairly allocated among those involved. They may worry that exceptionally large damages can exceed a defendant’s realistic means, create uneven outcomes, or appear to substitute a financial judgement for the wider criminal and road-safety measures needed to prevent such tragedies.