Auburn girl hit by family friend’s car is improving

An 11-year-old Auburn girl who was hit by a car on her way to school Wednesday morning is improving.

Illa Nichols, 11, has been upgraded from critical condition to serious condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Illa is still in intensive care, but her mother told KIRO-TV that her breathing tube has been removed.

She is suffering from a traumatic brain injury and is still unconscious.

When doctors were examining Illa at one point over the weekend, her mother said she gave a thumbs-up.

The Nichols family was told that Illa will eventually be moved to Seattle Children’s Hospital, where she will need care for the next 6 to 12 months.

Illa was hit in front of Camelot Elementary School in Auburn on her way to Kilo Middle School. Her brother witnessed the crash.

Investigators and think it was an accident. They said the girl darted into the road without using a crosswalk, and the angle of the sun likely made it hard for the driver to see her.

Nichols’ family also believes that it was an accident and doesn’t blame the 17-year-old driver, a next-door neighbor and family friend.

The driver and her family have been at Harborview supporting Illa and the Nichols family.

This story was originally published September 19, 2016 at 6:37 PM with the headline "Auburn girl hit by family friend’s car is improving."