Kit Roberts
Gaffes on social media are difficult to avoid, but some are considerably worse than others.
Mackenzie Shirilla, 19, made a chilling post on TikTok in which she bragged about the amount of drugs that she was able to take without compromising her health.
The video was posted with a caption that read: “I’m not even cool I’m just one of those girls that can do a lot of drugs and not die."
The TikTok emerged online after Shirilla was found guilty of four counts of murder following a car crash which killed her boyfriend Dominic Russo, 20, and his friend Davion Flanagan, 19.
It's not clear when the video was posted as her account has been switched to private.
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The crash took place when Shirilla, from Strongsville, Ohio, was just 17 years old and happened because her relationship with Russo was under duress, prosecutors argued.
The court was told that the Toyota Camry had hit triple digits before it smashed into a warehouse in the Cleveland suburb at about 6:15am in July 2022.
Both Russo and Flanagan were declared dead at the scene.
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Shirilla was found unconscious in the driver's seat with her foot still on the accelerator.
A number of drug paraphernalia were recovered from the scene of the crash, as well as hallucinogenic mushrooms.
Shirilla had THC in her system - which was over the state's legal limit - but she was not pursued on driving under the influence charges.
Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Tim Troup told the court that Flanagan, who was just looking for a ride home, was just innocent 'cargo'.
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Security footage presented as evidence showed Shirilla revving the vehicle aggressively before the impact. This indicated that she had acted with 'purpose and intent'.
Judge Nancy Margaret Russo, who has no relation to Dominic Russo, told the court: “She had a mission, and she executed it with precision. The decision was death."
Shirilla's mother, Nathalie, testified last week and claimed that her daughter had been diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome [POTS]. One of the symptoms of this condition is that it can cause someone to pass out if sodium and hydration levels are too low.
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Nathalie has claimed that this condition could be a factor in the crash, and hopes that Shirilla's lawyer, James McDonnell, will file an appeal.
Shirilla was found guilty of four counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault, two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, one count of drug possession and one count of possessing criminal tools.
This carries an automatic life sentence with no opportunity for parole for 15 years. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for 21 August.