Family of 3-year-old struck on State Street shares update, calls for change

Two weeks after 3-year-old Ava Stephenson was struck by a vehicle while crossing State Street in Santa Barbara, her family remains by her side in Los Angeles, where she is receiving specialized medical care. While Ava’s parents, Jessica and Rob Stephenson, have shared that there have been some encouraging signs in her recovery, they have chosen not to publicly disclose her prognosis or the extent of her injuries. What they are willing to share completely is their appreciation for the local response. “The community has been incredible,” Jessica Stephenson said in an interview with the News-Press. “The community is outstanding. We are being well supported.” Ava was walking with family members in a marked crosswalk on upper State Street when she was hit by a vehicle. Santa Barbara police responded to the collision in the 3000 block of the street at 9:54 am, on Sunday, Oct. 18. First responders provided emergency medical treatment at the scene before transporting Ava to Sant