Youngest teen killed in Marin County crash was 'bright light'
The youngest of the 4 girls killed in Marin County crash is remembered as a "bright light"
Friends of the 14-year-old killed in the Marin County single-vehicle crash and her mother are speaking out on behalf of their family. They described her as an outgoing, organized and vivacious teen who embraced life, her family, and her friends.
FAIRFAX, Calif. - The close family friends of a 14-year-old girl who was killed in a fiery crash in Marin County, along with three others, spoke out for the first time in an interview with KTVU.
Olive Koren was the youngest of the teens killed. The others who died were: Josalynn Osborn, Sienna Katz and Ada Kepley.
Two girls survived and they're in serious condition. They are Marley Barclay and Elsa Laremont Stranczek.
All six teens attended Archie Williams High School in San Anselmo.
Olive was a freshman, just two months shy of completing her first year at the school.
Family friends described her as an old soul and a joy to be around.
"She loved everybody. And everybody loved her," Natalie Swift said. "She truly was a gift."
She and Loren St. Andre said they considered Olive to be their daughter.
The two women are close friends with the teen's mother, Amy.
"Our best friend lost her baby, and it's been really hard. But being there for the family has been really important to me," said Swift.
They said the 14-year-old was especially close to Marley.
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"This was a tragedy. This was an accident, and we're not holding anybody responsible. All of these girls grew up together.They are childhood friends," said St. Andre.
The women said that on Friday night, around 7:30 p.m., all six girls were headed to a friend's house when the SUV they were in, crashed into a tree on San Geronimo Valley Drive in West Marin County near Fairfax.
"The driver went around and picked everybody up. The last I heard, there was a witness who had them all singing in the car and enjoying each other's company driving out to the hills of West Marin," said St. Andre.
It's an image that St. Andre said captures what Olive loved to do, happily embracing life with an ever-present smile.
The two women described the teen as an amazing girl who lit up the room every time.
They said Olive's mother moved to Hawaii more than a year ago, but the teen did not want to leave her friends.
She lived with her two older sisters and their grandparents in San Anselmo. Olive's mother is now in Marin, carrying out the painful task of making her daughter's funeral arrangements.
"This is absolutely devastating and that's why we're here, to help her pick the pieces back up," said Swift.
CHP said the cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Friends said there will be a public celebration of life for Olive in the coming weeks.
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Fundraisers have been created to help the families of the girls, and posted on the Creekside Pizza & Taproom site.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU