A one-year-old girl tragically died after running into traffic on a famous Florida beach.
Avery Lynn Sexton and her family were enjoying Memorial Day weekend at New Smyrna Beach when the nearly two-year-old ran into traffic and was struck by a vehicle, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said.
People can drive on certain parts of the beach, and the sheriff’s office does not believe speed or impairment were a factor in the accident.
The driver remained at the scene until authorities arrived.
Sexton was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead on Saturday.
Two witnesses, Jacob Myers and Mia Lepore, told WESH 2 that everyone started screaming and running toward the girl after she was struck.
‘There was screaming, crying, obviously it was a very traumatic event,’ Lepore said.
Her father, Dante Sexton, remembered his toddler as a joyful child.
Avery Lynn Sexton died at New Smyrna Beach in Florida after running into beach traffic on Saturday
Police do not believe speed or impairment was involved in the girl’s death. The driver of the vehicle stayed on the scene. Sexton pictured with her mother Felicity Dionisi
New Smyrna Beach does allow driving on portions of the beach
‘She was just a light of anybody’s day that met her, really,’ her father, Dante Sexton, told Fox 35 Orlando. [She was the] happiest little girl you could ever meet.’
Dante said he and his family never imagined the tragedy happening to their family, and now they’re advocating to forbid driving on the beach.
‘Because stuff like this happens,’ he told the outlet.
Sexton’s aunt, Alyssa Jasmine, also suggested that beaches only allow driving lanes to be ‘one-way’ and to slow down vehicle speed to five mph from 10.
‘There’s not enough room for two cars to be going two ways,’ she told WESH 2.
The family remembered the little girl for her love of the beach and her favorite color, pink.
‘She loved the water. She just laughed all the time. Her laugh was contagious,’ Jasmine said.
A makeshift memorial for the girl now rests on the beach near the crash site, with flowers, a pink bow, and a photograph marking the spot.
Her family remembers Sexton as a joyful child who loved the water and the color pink
The little girl will be cremated, her mother said on GoFundMe
‘Avery had so much spirit – she could light up a room just by being herself,’ a family friend wrote on GoFundMe
A makeshift memorial has popped up on the beach to honor the girl’s life
A GoFundMe has been started for Sexton, raising more than $16,000 of its $18,000 goal.
‘She was a bright light in our lives, and her loss has left the family heartbroken and struggling to come to terms with this unimaginable tragedy,’ family friend, Jade Lindlau, wrote.
‘Avery had so much spirit – she could light up a room just by being herself. Her loving nature touched everyone she met, and her sweetness made her truly unforgettable.
‘Avery’s memory will always be cherished, and we want to honor her in the most loving way possible.’
The funds will go toward Sexton’s funeral and memorial costs. Sexton will be cremated, her mother, Felicity Dionisi, who is separated from Sexton’s father, said on the fundraiser.
A private memorial will be held for the toddler on Sunday.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the family for comment.
