Community Unites to Raise Funds for Girl, 11, Killed in Peninsula Crash

Image courtesy of GoFundMe page dedicated to Iliyah Porter.

An 11-year-old girl who died in a crash on Interstate Highway 280 in Burlingame early Sunday morning has been identified by the San Mateo County coroner’s office as 11-year-old Iliyah Porter, and now community members are helping the grieving family where they can.

The crash was reported around 12:55 a.m. Sunday on northbound Interstate Highway 280 south of Trousdale Drive, according to the California Highway Patrol. A black Chevrolet SUV was heading north on the highway when the driver lost control, went off of the roadway and down an embankment. The vehicle crashed into a tree and Iliyah, a San Francisco resident, was pronounced dead at the scene, CHP officials said.

The driver was hospitalized with major injuries but is expected to survive. Other passengers in the car were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, according to the CHP.

CHP officials said it appears that everyone was wearing seat belts at the time of the crash and that it does not appear that alcohol played a role.

CHP Officer Art Montiel said this week that investigators are looking into the sleepiness of the driver as a possible cause of the crash.

Family members set up a page on the crowdfunding website GoFundMe to raise $15,000 in funeral expenses for Iliyah.

The campaign at http://www.gofundme.com/ejr55g already has more than 220 donations from relatives and strangers alike, pledging various donation amounts.

As of Friday afternoon, more than $13,000 had been raised, according to the site.

Click below if you would like to donate.

--Bay City News Service contributed to this report.