Young Bayshore crash victim remembered on birthday

TAMPA (FOX 13) - It's been nearly three months since a mother and her young daughter were killed trying to cross the street on Bayshore Boulevard.

Family and friends paused this weekend to mark what would have been Lillia Raubenolt's second birthday.

It was a small gathering on Sunday, but the vigil showed just how big of an impact little Lillia and her mother have had on the community. 

Lots of little Minnie Mouse plush toys, balloons, flowers, butterflies, and a chalk rainbow were all left over from the birthday celebration at Bayshore and Knights Avenue.

Rainbows were very special to the Raubenolt family -- the Raubenolts sang ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ to their daughter ever since she was a newborn, -- so yesterday there were dozens of little chalk rainbows on the sidewalk. 

Lillia and her mother Jessica were hit while legally crossing Bayshore.  Police say two young men were drag racing at the time. Sunday was as much about celebrating Lillia's birthday as it was an event reminding people to slow down. 

Following the accident, the city reduced the speed limit on Bayshore Boulevard from 40 to 35 miles per hour.  But there are some that don’t think that the city is going far enough.  

In addition to the memorial items, there were signs like the one still there Monday morning, asking motorists to “drive like your kids live here.”