Toby and Brooke Cohen: Beloved New York couple killed in Thanksgiving car crash as their 3 young children recuperate in hospital
WESTCHESTER, NEW YORK: A beloved couple who just migrated their family from the Upper West Side to Westchester lost their lives in a devastating Thanksgiving car crash in Connecticut that also left their young children seriously injured.
Toby and Brooke Cohen, of Scarsdale, were traveling home from a family gathering when their vehicle left the road, struck a road sign, and crashed into the woods in Bristol on Thanksgiving night, the Bristol Police Department said in a statement. Toby, 41, and Brooke, 37, were declared dead at the scene, authorities said.
Toby and Brooke Cohen's three children were rushed to a medical facility
Their three children, twin boys, both aged six, and a two-year-old girl were transported to the hospital where they remain in critical but stable condition, the West Side Rag reported. “It sounded like an explosion almost and then we heard the sirens and saw the lights. We walked over there and it was just a tragic scene,” Paul Nanos, who lives near the scene of the crash, told CBS News.
What did the district attorney say after Toby and Brooke Cohen's tragic death?
Toby and Brooke, who shifted to Scarsdale from the Upper West Side in August, met when the latter was interning at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, a spokesperson for the prosecutor said. She started working full-time at the office in 2012, and spent over 10 years in the Domestic Violence Bureau before stepping down last summer, the spokesperson added.
“The profound loss of our dear friend and longtime colleague Brooke Cohen, and her husband Toby, leaves a void not only in our professional community but deeply affects each one of us who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside them,” DA Eric Gonzalez said in a formal statement.
“Throughout her time in Brooklyn, Brooke demonstrated unwavering dedication, relentless advocacy, and a steadfast commitment to combating gender-based violence,” Gonzalez further said, adding “From her early days as an assistant to her role as a supervisor in the criminal court, she fought for justice with positivity, resilience, and a contagious smile that inspired those around her.”
“Beyond her legal expertise, Brooke was a loyal friend, and an outstanding colleague. She took on new responsibilities with energy and enthusiasm which inspired and motivated those around her, and as a mentor, Brooke guided many in the office, fostering both personal and professional growth," Gonzalez continued.
Brooke worked for the New York County District Attorney’s Office as of October this year, according to her LinkedIn. Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg wrote that he was “deeply saddened” by the mother-of-three’s death. “Brooke was an outstanding lawyer who made a tremendous impact at DANY in a short amount of time,” Bragg said.
Toby Cohen was a real estate attorney
Toby Cohen was a real estate attorney who most recently worked as assistant general counsel with the Red Apple Group, according to his LinkedIn page. At the couple’s funeral service in New Jersey last week, relatives were left devastated that a joyful Thanksgiving holiday had ended so tragically.
“Who knew when we shared our loving goodbyes and our hugs that it would be the last?” Brooke’s brother, Matthew Peltz, said at the service, according to Connecticut Insider. “Brooke would selflessly put all our needs before her own. We were always her first priority,” the devastated brother said.
Friends and family have established a GoFundMe to help the Cohens’ children move forward. “We hope to make a lasting difference in their lives and provide all we can after this tremendous loss. They have so much life ahead of them,” the fundraiser page read.
