MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — The Medical Lake community gathered for a candlelight vigil to remember the 11-year-old girl who was shot and killed over the weekend.
Friends and classmates of 11-year-old Lilly Stolworthy stood in the bitter cold at Wilcox Park Thursday night, not far from where the Medical Lake middle schooler lost her life.
Candles burned through snowflakes as people shared memories of Lilly.
"These kids are too young to be experiencing this type of heartbreak," said Esa Leal, whose younger sister was close with Lilly.
"They were always making TikToks and Snapchats. In the summertime they were always in the water."
By all accounts, friends and family remembered Lilly as a typical young girl.
"She was my daughter's best friend," said Natasha Hargrave, who helped organize the vivil. "Lilly was like any typical, sassy. Yes, she was very sassy."
Hargrave said her younger daughter, Arianna, was always by Lilly's side.
"My daughter was with her the day before this happened," Hargrave said. "I'm grateful that my daughter got to spend Thanksgiving with her this year."
"We printed out 107 pictures for her and she has them posted all over her room."
Deputies say Lilly was shot by her 31-year-old brother outside the family home Sunday. He later turned the gun on himself and is not expected to survive.
"She cared for all of us so much," Lilly's friends said. "She would never want this to happen and she would never want us to feel this way. So many people loved her."
That was clear during Thursday night's vigil, especially when they ran out of candles
"She was loved," Hargrave said. "I told my husband, too, we need to buy more candles."
Lilly was the youngest of four adopted girls. Neighbors said her parents have always put others before themselves.
"They have been our neighbors for 20 years and very, very good neighbors and very good people," one woman said. "They opened their home to people who needed one and I just think the world needs these good people and this incident should not stop people from doing good."
Lilly's parents were at the vigil. Her mom said seeing all the faces Thursday night brought her joy and knowing that whenever Lilly was away from home, she was surrounded by people who loved and cared for her and kept her safe.
"She didn't think that so many people cared about her," friends said. "But, so many people do."
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