A 19-year-old Long Beach woman was walking through a parking lot with her mother when a driver pulling out of a parking spot ran over her, killing her, according to a fundraiser for her family.
Police said the crash happened on Nov. 2, around 3:55 p.m., in a lot on Bellflower Boulevard near Stearns Street.
“At this time, distracted driving is believed to be a contributing factor in the collision,” police said.
The 19-year-old, Grace Edwards, was rushed to the hospital, where she died days later.
Haley and Scott Sousa, friends of the Edwards family, launched a fundraiser on Monday. As of Wednesday morning, over 100 people had donated, totaling more than $15,000.
“Grace was a vibrant and carefree 19-year-old girl,” they wrote. “She was a loving daughter, sister, granddaughter, friend, and nursing student. She touched the lives of so many, including young families as she cared for many children at her church and in her community.”
The Sousas said that Edwards was an organ donor and that her heart was donated to an 8-year-old child.
“We are comforted by the fact that her legacy is going to live on and bring life to others,” they wrote.
Police said the driver, a 39-year-old in a 2015 Lexus IS250, remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation. They asked anyone with further information to contact detectives at 562-570-7110