Investigators say she stepped out into traffic along Blackstone near Shields and was struck and killed by a pickup truck.
Family members describe the eighth grader as a straight "A" student who always offered a hand to those who needed it. "She was all about her family and it's just sad that she got taken away like this," said Cathya's aunt Lorraine Gonzalez.
Police say the driver of the pickup does not appear to be at fault. So far, investigators believe the girl was crossing the street in an area that is "not" a crosswalk.