Grieving family and friends of a young girl who pushed a toddler out of the way of a moving car are getting one wish: a recognition of the young girl's actions.
Kiera Larsen died Feb. 22 as she was playing outside her home with friends. A Mercedes parked in a yard slid down the hill toward the group of kids, and Kiera, 10, shoved a 2-year-old out of its path, saving her, officers said.
California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials said the car's shift interrupter/interlock was either broken, disabled or disconnected. That means a key is not needed to have to depress the brake pedal to shift the car from park. The cable running from the brake pedal to the ignition was disconnected.
Authorities are investigating why the two safety features -- that exist to avoid what happened in this case -- were not functional and who may have done it.
Monday, the California State Assembly recognized the Kiera's heroic actions with a memorial resolution, an act that has been in the works since February.
The measure began when California State Assemblyman Joel Andersen asked the Assembly to recognize Kiera, calling what happened "absolutely devastating."
Family and friends told NBC 7 San Diego they are happy the 10-year-old is being honored by the state.
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"Definitely it's great because, you know, just her being remembered like that and recognized because she was -- I mean I didn't know her that much, but from everything that, you know, I saw from her, she was a great little girl," said one Lakeside neighbor.
Her family did not want to speak on camera, but told NBC 7 San Diego they were happy she was being honored.
