"Extremely devastating” - Shrine Hospital grieve young patient and mother identified in Philadelphia jet crash

Valentina Guzman Murillo, an 11-year-old girl who was returning to Mexico from Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, where she was in treatment for a life-threatening condition, and her mother, Lizeth Murillo Ozuna, were among the victims of the tragic Philadelphia medical jet crash on Friday.

According to reports by KYW Newsradio, the hospital staff learned about the crash just hours after Valentina and her mother left for their flight. According to the news outlet, Mel Bower, chief marketing and communications officer, talked about Valentina and how devastated the staff at the hospital are about the tragedy.

"Following the journey that she had been on, it was just extremely devastating(...)We had, that same day, organized a send-off for her, in which we brought together the caregivers and staff that knew her, the patients that she had gotten to know, and everyone gathered to wish her well as she was leaving." - Mel Bower via KYW

According to Bower, Valentina was receiving treatment for about four months for a life-threatening condition in the hospital. She and her mother were staying in the U.S. as per the doctor's suggestion to receive the treatment. On the day of the crash, the hospital and staff even held a sendoff for the little girl.

Details about the Philadelphia Medical Jet Crash on Friday

According to multiple reports, on Friday, January 31, after 6 pm, a Learjet 55 that was taking 11-year-old Valentina to Mexico after receiving treatment for a life-threatening condition crashed near Roosevelt Mall soon after it took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, killing all six people on board as well as a driver on the ground.

Other than Valentina and her mother, Lizeth Murillo Ozuna, the Philadelphia Medical Jet crash took the lives of Captain Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales, co-pilot Josue de Jesus Juarez Juarez, as well as medical crew consisting of Dr. Raul Meza Arredondo and paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla. The driver of the car, the seventh victim, has not been identified yet.

According to NBC, citing Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, at least 22 people were injured due to the crash. Out of the injured, five are in hospital, with three in critical condition. The investigation into the crash is being conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

According to 6ABC, the NTSB recovered the plane's cockpit voice recorder on Sunday. The News outlet further quoted NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy saying, " It [the recorder] could be intact, but it is likely damaged. It may be fragmented."

The Medical Jet crash occurred just days after the devastating crash between an American Airlines plane and a Black Hawk helicopter at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 29, claiming the lives of about 67 people.