WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A spunky 8-year-old is on the road to recovery after she was shot in the face earlier this year thanks to some high-tech work by doctors at St. Mary's Medical Center.
Lilah Williams-Sjosten, her mother and doctor spoke Friday at St. Mary's Medical Center about the girl's recovery.
Two months ago, Lilah was shot in Fort Pierce, which later resulted in the arrest of two teenagers.
Before the shooting took place, the child's mother, Synthia Williams, said that Lilah was heading to SeaWorld with a family friend and other children.
While Lilah and the other children were waiting in the car in Fort Pierce, two people drove by firing guns, and Lilah was shot.
"Two of the bullets went through the windshield and one of them hit her in the face," Synthia Williams said.
The girl's mother was not with the group at the time and received a call from an officer telling her that her daughter had been shot.
Lilah, who attends Beacon Cove Intermediate School in Jupiter, was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach.
"[It was] like my worst nightmare coming true, like it wasn't real," Synthia Williams said. "It was just really scary. I didn't know what to think, like if she was OK, if she was not OK. I didn't know where was she going, she was an hour away from me."
Lilah said she followed doctors' orders, except for doing cartwheels, which she is happy they have now signed off on.
"At least it didn't hurt ... not a single bit," the tough little girl said.
Dr. Jason Portnof, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon at St. Mary's Medical Center, said Friday they had to use cadaver bone and plates to create a scaffolding so Lilah's jaw and face could be reconstructed on her right side.
Two teenagers, a 15-year-old boy and Ty Jheer Reeves, 18, were arrested in connection with the shooting, according to Fort Pierce police.
At the time of the shooting, Fort Pierce Police said it appeared to be an isolated incident.
"I don't want stuff like this to keep happening. I know that," Synthia Williams said.
"So just jail forever, basically," her daughter interjected.
No was else was hurt in the shooting.
