LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Fayette County coroner reports that an 8-year-old girl was killed in a late-night crash on Sunday.
According to the coroner, Daleyza Ortiz Garcia died from multiple blunt-force injuries after a two-vehicle crash near Leestown Road and Citation Boulevard in Lexington.
Police say one of the vehicles flipped and was smoking as a result of the crash that happened just before midnight.
Daleyza’s parents and brother survived the crash, but she died at University of Kentucky Medical Center.
The news of the 8-year-old’s passing is still a shock to family and friends.
“Just with the blink of an eye your life changes quick,” said Diego Emilio Cortez, who watched Daleyza grow up and works with her father.
Cortez described Daleyza as a happy-go-lucky girl who was always singing. When the accident occurred, she had only a few days of school left at Garden Springs Elementary.
“We'd go to the park every weekend, to Masterson Station, and she was always having fun, she was just a very happy girl.”
Cortez works with Daleyza’s dad as an exercise rider at Keeneland. The community there and countless others have begun raising money for the family to ease the burden of hospital and funeral expenses.
“And obviously right now they're taking off work, so just helping them with any small bills they have, they have a little child and just helping them with anything they can at this moment,” said Cortez.
Cortez shared a final heartfelt message to the little girl taken too soon, saying, “To Daleyza, we love you and we'll miss you. She'll always be in our hearts and we just…we love you so much.”
You can donate to the family’s GoFundMe here.
