Macon school honors student, family killed in car crash

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – One Macon elementary school  honored a student who was killed along with members of her family in a car crash last week.

Students and staff at Heritage Elementary released balloons for seven-year-old Zhia Franklin.

She, her mother Tina Butler, and her one-year-old brother were killed after their car hydroplaned and flipped into a flooded ditch in Colquitt.

Principal Jennifer Askew says she and her staff wanted to give students a chance to say goodbye.

“I could see by the looks on some of their faces it was a fun activity and of course different things trigger different children and still some tears, but we’re here for that journey with them,” Askew said.

A funeral for the family is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, April 16th.

It’s at the Old Miller County High School in Colquitt.