IL 8-Year-Old Killed By Lightning Strike Over Fourth Of July Weekend: Coroner

LASALLE COUNTY, IL — An 8-year-old girl was fatally struck by lightning over the holiday weekend in LaSalle County, according to authorities.

The county coroner’s office was called Friday evening to the emergency room of OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa for the child, who had been struck in her backyard in Serena, authorities said.

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An autopsy Sunday preliminarily confirmed she died of injuries suffered from the incident, according to the coroner’s office.

A GoFundMe to support the child’s mother identified the girl as Kinslee Tschida.

“Kinslee was a bright light in every sense of the word. She loved to sing, dance, and bring joy to everyone around her,” the fundraiser webpage said.

“Her loud, unforgettable laugh could fill an entire room, and her smile had a way of making even the hardest days a little brighter.”