A Florida community is grieving the loss of a 16-year-old girl and her grandmother, who died in a two-vehicle collision last weekend.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 2, in Jupiter Farms, Fla., as reported by The Palm Beach Post, WPBF and WPTV.
Investigators said that an SUV driven by 77-year-old Deidre North traveled through the intersection of Alexander Run and Randolph Siding Road without stopping at a stop sign. The SUV collided with a pickup truck, veered off the road, and struck a tree.
Deidre died at the scene. Her granddaughter, Jade North, who was in the passenger seat, was taken to a hospital, where she later died.
Authorities identified the pickup driver as Logan Wolfe, who sustained minor injuries. The Palm Beach Post noted that all three individuals were wearing seat belts.
In an interview with WPTV, Jade’s mother, Juanita North, said her daughter had just started her junior year at Jupiter High School.
“She’s a great, great artist,” Juanita said of Jade, adding, “She’d light up every room she walks in.”
On Wednesday, Aug. 6, about 200 people gathered for a candlelight vigil at the crash site. The event was organized by family friend Lauren Dowd-Shedlock, who described Jade as “beautiful, artistic, talented, smart” and someone who could “light up a room.”
The North family attended the vigil and expressed hopes that their tragedy would lead to safety changes. They urged for more visible stop signs at every corner of the intersection.
“It’s mandatory. It’s crucial,” Juanita told WPBF. “It has to be a four-way stop.”
Juanita also told The Palm Beach Post that she does not believe Deidre missed the stop sign, noting that thick foliage near a caution light should be cleared so drivers can see it.
A GoFundMe created for the family has raised $26,000 as of Friday, Aug. 8.
“They both had so much more to give. Two wonderful people taken from this world; they will be missed, they are loved,” the fundraiser description reads.
PEOPLE reached out to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Juanita North for comment on Friday.
