"She was just such a bright light": friends remember 11-year-old killed in Madera County Crash

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- A ray of sunshine with a property that could capable a room, that's however friends are remembering 11-year-old Amelia Marsh who was killed successful a car clang successful Madera County Saturday night.

Early Saturday evening, beingness arsenic the Marsh household knew it changed wholly arsenic they mislaid 11-year-old Amelia.

"She was conscionable specified a agleam airy to everybody," said Dicie Wheaton, Family Friend.

That airy abruptly extinguished.

Friends said Amelia, her parents Andrea and Chuck, and younger siblings were headed for an evening of amusive astatine Defy Jump Park successful Fresno, but they didn't marque it there.

CHP investigators said her begetter was driving southbound connected 41 and Jewels Vista Court erstwhile helium mislaid power of their SUV successful the rain, colliding with 2 different vehicles.

Amelia died successful the crash. Her ma was taken to Community Regional Medical Center, and her younger siblings to Valley Children's, wherever they each proceed to recover.

The quality of her decease came arsenic a daze to friends who retrieve the small miss with a large bosom and who was devoted to her faith.

"It conscionable seemed similar she could ever link with radical that possibly didn't acceptable the mean norm and assistance them consciousness harmless and cared for and loved," said Wheaton. "Which I consciousness similar is conscionable a existent testament of her faith."

Dicie Wheaton met Andrea erstwhile the 2 worked unneurotic astatine Yosemite Lakes Community Church successful Coarsegold. They became accelerated friends and past their daughters did, too.

Ashlan Wheaton is already reasoning of ways she could grant her friend, whom she calls 'one of a kind.'

"There's nary colour to picture her. There's similar each sorts of antithetic colors to picture her," said Ashlan. "I would overgarment thing of her to grant her arts and crafts. She was truthful talented."

Kyra Zimmerman grew up with Andrea, she said Andrea lived for her daughter. She's heartbroken to spot her person endure this nonaccomplishment and mourns the miss she describes arsenic an angel.

"She saw radical and cared for them," said Zimmerman. "And went aft similar the ones that were near out, you know, and she conscionable loved Jesus and wanted radical to cognize that they were loved too."

Amelia made specified an interaction connected her assemblage that Spring Valley Elementary School, which she utilized to attend, posted a connection connected Facebook Monday that work successful part: "The Spring Valley Community is profoundly saddened by the nonaccomplishment of our beloved erstwhile student, Amelia Marsh. She was incredibly benignant and was a affirmative airy to each of those she came successful interaction with."

Amelia's father, Chuck, is the sole fiscal supplier for the household and is besides recovering from the crash. As they heal and marque plans to laic Amelia to rest, household friends person acceptable up a GoFundMe.