A young girl died one month shy from her 5th birthday in a freak tractor accident in Kentucky.

Hellayna Michelle King, 4, died after falling off of a tractor on Red River Road in Kentucky on Wednesday Sept. 2, Clark County Coroner Neal Oliver told local outlet WYKT and the New York Post.

She had been riding in the back of her family’s tractor when she fell off and was accidentally backed over by it, according to the coroner.

Hellayna Michelle King.GoFundMe
King’s aunt, LaDonna Lovings, told WYKT that after the incident, her family was there to witness her in pain. She recalled, “They had to sit there 45 minutes with her and it was just a tragic, tragic loss.”

She shared that the girl, whom she described as the family’s “sunshine,” would have celebrated her birthday in October. Her obituary lists her birthday as Oct. 5.

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“Nothing can prepare you for having to say goodbye to your niece, your daughter, bonus daughter or whatever she was to us,” Lovings told WYKT.

Lovings added that road closures plagued the area where the incident happened and an alternative route took 45 minutes to get through. She said she believed that if a “bridge” was constructed to help passengers get through the area more quickly, it may have helped her niece get the help she needed faster.

Red River Road in Kentucky.google
“If the bridge had been open, it would’ve taken them maybe 15, 20 minutes to get there. And you know it may have made a difference and it may not have made a difference, but the fact that somebody was there to try and help her would’ve made a difference,” Lovings told WKYT.

CSX Transportation and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet told the outlet that they have “been working to finalize the design of a new bridge.”

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PEOPLE has reached out to the Clark County Coroner’s Office and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for comment.

“Words can’t express how much we miss her and how we wish we could go back,” Lovings said. “You know accidents happen all the time and you just don’t think it’s going to happen to you.”

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According to her obituary, the girl was “a bright and lively little girl who was full of life” and “brought so much joy to those around her.” The obituary noted that she “loved being outdoors” and “spending time” on her grandparent’s farm.

Her funeral took place on Saturday, Sept. 5, per her obituary. Her family shared in a GoFundMe that they were hoping to raise money in order to get an urn for her.

“She also loved to sing, filling the days with her sweet voice and happy spirit,” her family shared in her obituary. “Whether she was outside playing, helping on the farm, or singing a favorite song, Layna embraced life with an energy and happiness that will be deeply missed by everyone who loved her.”