Vigil held for girl, 8, killed in Overbrook hit-and-run

OVERBROOK (WPVI) -- Friends and family held hands in the frigid cold as they remembered 8-year-old Jayanna Powell, who was killed just yards away from where her grieving mother stood Sunday night crying.

The little girl was walking home from school with her siblings when she was hit by a car at 63rd and Lansdowne, and thrown nearly 30 yards. She was rushed to the hospital where she died with her parents by her side.

It's been a month since that tragedy. There's been an arrest in the case, but hardly a sense of closure.

The wound seems fresh as Christmas fast approaches. Ayeshia Poole says now her Christmases will include a visit to her daughters grave.

"It's hard I have to go to the cemetery to see my baby. No mother should have to go to no cemetery to see their 8-year-old," Poole said.

"Our family is hurting really bad so all we can do is be strong and we are so glad that Jayanna's mother Ayeshia and her father James Powell have been so strong," said Poole.

The family tells us they really want to jump into action as a result of this tragedy. They want to make sure in the future there are crossing guard when kids are around, walking home from school, and that way they can prevent this tragedy from happening to another family.

Twenty-four-year-old Paul Woodlyn is behind bars for the fatal hit-and-run.

Police say he confessed to the crime.