Family Of Girl Killed In Auto-Ped Accident Struggling To Cope

Wednesday, May 30th 2007, 8:23 pm

By: News On 6

A Tulsa family struggles to cope with the death of their little girl. Six-year-old Jessalyn Sanders was killed Tuesday after she was hit by a pickup truck. The News On 6â€™s Chris Wright reports police now say the driver was answering his cell phone and did not see the girl before he hit her.

The smile says it all. Her family tells us Sanders was always wearing one, and her happiness was infectious.

"Always, always had a smile for everybody no matter what,â€ said Sandersâ€™ aunt Danielle Nunes. â€œIf you were sad and crying, she would make you where you were laughing and rolling on the ground and your gut hurting."

Jessalyn Sanders was killed instantly after she was hit by a pickup truck Tuesday evening. Police say the 6-year-old had wandered into traffic while following her teenage sister. Her family says the girl was only a few inches from the curb when she was struck. For Nunes, the finality of her death has just begun to set in.

"This is something we can't bring back,â€ Nunes said. â€œWe can't bring her back. She's gone forever."

Her family says Sanders loved animals, including her Chihuahua and pet turtle. She also loved her older sister, who had just crossed Independence, and witnessed the accident.

"She blames herself,â€ said Nunes. â€œShe said if I just turned around aunt D, I could have saw her and stopped."

Family members were also devastated to learn that the driver of the truck had reached down to answer his cell phone right before the collision. They hope this tragedy will force Tulsa drivers to pay more attention on the road.

"Put your cell phone down when youâ€™re driving anywhere. Put your cell phone down. It's not that important," Nunes said.

While still reeling from their loss, Sanderâ€™s family has found some comfort in a photo of the young girl. They say the light in the picture makes their little girl look angelic. They're sure she's in a better place now and still smiling.

Even before the accident, Sanderâ€™s family was experiencing some rough times. They were supposed to be evicted from their home Tuesday, but say their landlord is now allowing them to stay for a few more weeks.

A fund for the Sanders family has been set up at Bank of Oklahoma. To contribute, contact any Bank of Oklahoma branch and mention the victim's name, Jessalynn Sanders.

Watch the video: Family Opens Up About 6-Year-Old Killed In Traffic Accident

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