A Florida father, who is currently battling Stage 4 prostate cancer, has been sentenced to 37 years in prison after his teenage son killed four people in a September 2023 car accident.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, a Kissimmee jury found Richard Seymour Ferguson, 69, guilty of four counts of manslaughter in October 2025. The verdict arrived after investigators said Ferguson allowed his 15-year-old son to drive without a license.
The act led to the tragic deaths of a grandmother and her three young grandchildren. Officials identified the victims as: Trinidad Hernandez, 50; her granddaughters Miley Cruz, 11, and Anayari Hernandez, 1; and grandson Marvin Cruz, 9.
Officials pronounced Trinidad and Miley dead at the scene as Anayari and Marvin later died at a nearby hospital. Trinidad’s husband, Angel Hernandez, was the lone survivor and was airlifted to a hospital with serious injuries.
Before the crash, which took place in Osceola County, investigators said the teen boy was driving a white 2012 Chevrolet Impala when he ran a stop sign and his vehicle crashed into the victims’ car, a gray 2022 Honda.
According to the father’s arrest affidavit, the Honda hit a metal light pole and wooden power pole while the Chevy came to rest in a roadside ditch. Florida Highway Patrol calculated that at the time of impact, the teen was driving between 76 and 83 miles per hour on a road with a speed limit of 30 mph.
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Judge Sentences Florida Father, Battling Stage 4 Prostate Cancer, To 37 Years After Teen Son Kills 4 In Crash
On Wednesday (February 18), Judge Keith Carsten sentenced Ferguson to 37 years in prison. Before this, Ferguson’s attorney requested that the judge sentence him to community control, which includes house arrest. However, the victims’ family demanded a more severe punishment.
Additionally, Ferguson’s family also wanted a less severe sentence as they claim he is currently battling Stage 4 prostate cancer. The family expressed their concerns, wondering if he will receive proper treatment for his progressing health condition. Furthermore, the family said the Osceola County Jail has failed to provide him with the medicine needed to prevent the cancer’s spread. Subsequently, Ferguson’s wife has been brining his medicine to the jail.
During sentencing, Ferguson shared an emotional apology, regretting his actions. However, Sabrina Hernandez, the mother of the three child victims, felt no consolation by the apology. Instead, she thought he was “extremely cowardly” and displayed a lack of accountability.
“I take no pity on this man. Am I sorry that he’s sick? I am. And I pray that the Lord comforts him in his bad health, I truly do,” she said. “And I pray that the Lord takes pity on this man, because it’s a pathetic excuse for a man to sit here with your head down and can’t even take accountability.”
While Ferguson — who is battling Stage 4 prostate cancer — received 37 years for his son’s actions, it’s reported that his teenage boy — who previously took a plea deal in the case — will be held in a juvenile detention center until he is 19, pending good behavior.
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