Eliyanah Crisostomo GoFundMe raises more than $50,000 after 5-year-old is shot and killed on highway

On Saturday, April 8, Eliyanah Crisostomo, a five-year-old girl, was shot and killed on a highway in the San Francisco Bay Area while the family were on their way to dinner at Outback Steakhouse in Milpitas.

In the wake of her death, a friend of the Crisostomo family organized a GoFundMe campaign to render financial aid to the devastated parents while they grieve for their daughter, who was a victim of gun violence. The fundraiser had received over $50,000 of its $75,000 goal since it was launched.

Authorities, who are exploring the circumstances behind the young girl's death, said that they are yet to make any arrests in the case.

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Eliyanah Crisostomo was killed a few days before her 6th birthday

On the fundraising page, a friend of the family said that Eliyanah was just a few days shy of her sixth birthday when she was violently shot and killed on the highway. As per the page, Eliyanah was excited about Easter and her upcoming birthday on April 21st. The page reads:

“Eliyanah was a fun-loving little girl who loved life, had a giving heart, close with her three siblings, especially her brother who were 11 months apart. Both were so excited for Easter before the family was torn to pieces by this tragic event. Eliyanah would have been 6 on the 21st of April.”

As per the GoFundMe page, Eliyanah Crisostomo and her family were on their way to Outback Steakhouse in Milpitas for a birthday dinner when the young girl was struck by a bullet. The fundraising page added that Eliyanah died thirty seconds after she was struck by the unknown assailant.

As per ABC News, the victim's family was driving along I-880, near Dixon Landing Road, just before 7 pm, when a vehicle pulled up near their car and started shooting at the Crisostomo family, striking Eliyanah at the scene.

California Highway P Lt. Shawna Pacheco said that after the girl was shot, her family approached an officer in the area on an unrelated traffic stop on the side of I-880. Eliyanah was then rushed to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Authorities are yet to disclose additional information on the case, including a potential motive for the killing. Meanwhile, shortly before Eliyanah Crisostomo was killed, Fremont police said a pedestrian reported another incident where a car pulled up and shot at the person following a confrontation.

Shortly after, following a pursuit on the highway, authorities stopped a car with three people they believe were connected to a gang-related Fremont pedestrian shooting.

Authorities said that the three suspects were arrested but noted that it is unclear if the two incidents were related.

Meanwhile, CHP has asked anyone with information on Eliyanah Crisostomo's case to come forward by calling its tip line at 707-917-4491.