A vigil was held for Elizabeth Taylor, a 65-year-old woman who died after a tree fell on her car during powerful winds in Northeast Philadelphia. NBC10’s Miguel Martinez-Valle spoke with Taylor’s friends about the tragedy.
A woman was killed after a tree fell on a car in Northeast Philadelphia as powerful winds slammed the region on Sunday.
Philadelphia police and firefighters responded to the 500 block of West Hill Creek Road around 6:15 p.m. When they arrived they found a woman -- later identified as 65-year-old Elizabeth Taylor of Philadelphia -- inside a car that had been crushed by a large tree. Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after.
Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace told NBC10 the vehicle was registered to a nearby home.
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Elizabeth Balaguer, a friend of the victim, told NBC10 she had spent the day with Taylor before her death.
“That broke my heart,” Balaguer said. “Because from being with somebody that whole day, enjoying your day, laughing, talking to in a split second, you find out that she’s stuck in a car. And then she doesn’t deserve it because she was such a sweet person.”
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A vigil was held for Taylor Monday evening. Community members remembered her as a sweet person, beautiful friend and a kind neighbor.
“She went to church. She was good to community. And she was like a mother,” Taylor’s neighbor, Yvette Sullivan, told NBC10. “You know, if you needed to talk to someone, you could talk to her. She wouldn’t tell your business and it was a one on one conversation. She just didn’t deserve this. And she will be missed.”
Police continue to investigate the incident, which occurred outside a Public Housing Authority (PHA) development. A PHA spokesperson released a statement on Taylor's death.
"This is a tragic accident," the spokesperson wrote. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim's family. The Philadelphia Housing Authority's Office of Public Safety will continue to support PPD in this active investigation."
Taylor's death occurred amid a High Wind Warning that’s in effect for the Philadelphia region, South Jersey and Delaware until early Monday evening, according to the National Weather Service.
Powerful winds have caused widespread power outages and damage throughout the area.
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