"Her loving nature touched everyone she met, and her sweetness made her truly unforgettable," one of Avery Lynn Sexton's relatives said

NEED TO KNOW

• A 22-month-old girl died after being hit by a vehicle on a beach in Florida on Saturday, May 23
• Avery Lynn Sexton ran into a traffic lane on New Smyrna Beach — where driving on the beach is legal — and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital
• Her loved ones have paid tribute to the toddler, whose “laugh was contagious,” and called for tighter beach driving regulations

Family members have paid tribute to a "loving" 22-month-old girl who died on Saturday, May 23, after she was hit by a vehicle when she ran into a traffic lane on a Florida beach.

Avery Lynn Sexton was hit by the vehicle in New Smyrna Beach at about 4:30 p.m. local time before being pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, the Volusia Sheriff's Office confirmed in a statement on Facebook. They added that the driver remained on scene and that they did not appear to be speeding or impaired.

Jade Lindlau, a cousin of Avery Lynn's mom, Felicity Dionisi, wrote on a GoFundMe set up for the child's memorial expenses that the family was "heartbroken" and "struggling to come to terms with this unimaginable tragedy."

She wrote, "Avery had so much spirit — she could light up a room just by being herself. Her loving nature touched everyone she met, and her sweetness made her truly unforgettable. Avery's memory will always be cherished, and we want to honor her in the most loving way possible."

As of Wednesday, May 27, the GoFundMe has raised over $15,000 of the $18,000 target.

Avery Lynn's father, Dante Sexton, told Fox 35 Orlando that his daughter was the "happiest little girl you could ever meet" and "a light of anybody's day."

Her aunt, Alyssa Jasmine, told WESH 2 News that she was a happy child whose "laugh was contagious," and called for changes to beach driving regulations to avoid future accidents.

She suggested making the beaches one-way and reducing the speed limit to 5 miles per hour.

Driving on the beach is allowed in designated areas of Volusia County, and the current speed limit is 10 miles per hour.

"It was very sad. You had tons of help…but it was a very instant and spontaneous thing that happened,” local resident Tony Cook told WKMG-TV, adding that the beach was particularly crowded on the day of the accident as people enjoyed the Memorial Day weekend.

"We are certainly overcrowded here on weekends and holidays, and that's when you have the biggest problems," he explained.

The Professional Firefighters of Orange City also paid tribute to the little girl on Facebook, calling her "an extended piece of our OCFD (Orange County Fire Department) and Local 5375 family," while local councilman Matt Reinhart told Fox 35 Orlando in a statement that his "heart breaks" for the toddler's family and that he "cannot imagine the pain they are experiencing after such a tragic accident."

Per WKMG-TV, a memorial lies in the area of the beach where Avery Lynn was hit by the vehicle, with local residents and people who knew the toddler leaving photos, flowers and handwritten notes.

One note, describing Avery Lynn as "her mother's princess," asked people to leave seashells in her honor.

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PEOPLE reached out to the Volusia Sheriff's Office for updates but did not immediately hear back.

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