4-YO Girl Dies After Getting Hit by a Van While Walking on Sidewalk With Family | “Life Altering Loss”

A 4-year-old girl who was out on a walk with her family was tragically killed when a car involved in a two-vehicle collision in Wisconsin veered off the road and into a walkway. The van and a pickup truck collided at a crossroads in Sheboygan on April 12, per the Sheboygan Police Department. 

The deceased youngster was identified as Cordelia Kuether by a GoFundMe account that was started a day after the horrific accident. "Yesterday evening my nephew, Devon Kuether, lost his 4-year old daughter, Cordelia, in a tragic, unforeseen and unfortunate accident in Sheboygan last night," penned family member, Krista Jones, in the campaign's description.

"Cordelia, her mother Ezra, and her younger sister Lily were simply out for a walk in a quiet neighborhood in town enjoying the recent nice weather when tragedy hit them out of nowhere." When the incident happened, Cordelia and Lily were on their way to pet a puppy, per PEOPLE. According to the police, there was no evidence that the crash was caused by drunk driving or driving too fast. "As a result of the crash, an involved vehicle left the roadway and struck a group of pedestrians," explained the police in an update, sharing that the toddler "sustained a fatal injury and tragically lost her life."

The toddler's family members had to be "transported to local hospitals for treatment of minor injuries," police added.

In an update posted on the GoFundMe campaign's page on Friday, April 14, Jones urged people to show consideration for all the people involved in the incident even if the police department's investigation is still underway. "Our family is still waiting on facts and details," shared Jones. "However, I individually can only imagine the grief and remorse [of] all parties involved and their families must be feeling during this time. Hate and anger [are] understandable emotions during this time, given the circumstances, but acting out with hate and anger will not return Cordelia nor be helpful in the grief healing process," she wrote.

Jones added, "No amount of money can replace the life lost but it will certainly help relieve one burden from Devon and Ezra's journey as they try to move forward through this life-altering loss." The campaign had raised more than $38,000, exceeding its $15,000 target. In an update on Tuesday, April 17, Jones stated that donations made through the campaign will be used to cover Cordelia's burial costs and that "the majority of any remaining funds will be utilized for ongoing medical and mental health expenses for Devon, Ezra, and Cordelia's sister as a result of the accident."

"After that, any legal fees to help them get through these upcoming weeks and months. Should any funds remain after these expenses are completed, they will be placed into an Educational fund for Cordelia's sister in honor of Cordelia," she shared.

References:

https://people.com/human-interest/girl-dies-after-getting-hit-by-van-wisconsin-sidewalk/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/funeral-expenses-for-cordelia-kuether

http://nixle.us/EDKDM

Cover Image Source: GoFundMe