Family friend's heartbreaking details of little Eliyanah Crisostomo's tragic death
FREMONT -- As the search intensifies for the shooter, a heartbroken family friend through tears has shared details surrounding the freeway shooting death of little Eliyanah Crisostomo.
Ashley told KPIX that several people were in the car at the time of the shooting, but Eliyanah was the only one that was hit.
"Everyone else was okay. And she probably died instantly," said Ashley. "I mean, I looked at the bullet holes on the side of that vehicle. There's no way a 5-year-old could survive that."
She choked back tears as she described the final moments of Eliyanah's life. She was sitting next to her brother, who's 11 months older, in the back of the family's SUV when she was hit by gunfire on southbound 880 in Fremont.
The shooting happened a day before Easter, and less than a week before her 6th birthday.
"They had Easter baskets on the kitchen table," said Ashley. "Her brother won't even open his. He said, 'Mom I can't open my Easter basket because my sister's not here.'"
Ashley said the family first went to Outback Steakhouse in Fremont for a birthday dinner, but it was closed. So they decided to head to the one in Milpitas.
"All of a sudden, their life changed. Gunshots," she said. "They didn't know what to do. They drove a little faster to try to get away."
The family spotted a CHP officer who was conducting an unrelated traffic stop along the highway.
"They jumped out of the car and said: 'Help me! Help me!'" said Ashley. "She was hunched over in the backseat, and they pulled her out and tried to resuscitate."
No arrests have been made, and no suspects have been identified.
"She loved Disneyland, she loved Minnie Mouse, she loved her shrimp with white rice and butter," said Ashley. "We're trying to celebrate her life right now."
Ashley added that the GoFundMe will contribute to funeral costs, but also to a new vehicle for the family.
