Kayla Allen Showing Small Improvements, Family Says

Kayla Allen is showing slight improvement from her life-threatening injuries, her uncle said, although he cautioned that there is a very long road to recovery.

"I think every day the promise of recovery is a little greater," said Carl Jindra, Kayla's uncle.

Kayla, 10 and a fifth-grader at Chapman Elementary School, has been in critical condition at MetroHealth Medical Center since April 12, when her father, Kevin Allen, in Brooklyn, killing her mother, Kate, 42, and sister, Kerri, who had just turned 10.

Carl Jindra, who is Kate's brother, and his wife, Michelle, expressed a small amount of optimism regarding Kayla's injuries.

"They're waking her up a little bit," Michelle said shortly before a memorial service Kate and Kerri Allen Thursday morning. "She's following some commands."

Still, the prognosis is "day to day," Michelle said.

About 300 people gathered in Medina to remember the mother and daughter Thursday morning.

Michelle said Kerri was "a smiley, happy little kid" and Kate was a "dedicated and devoted mother" who worked tirelessly to support her children.

She recalled going to the St. Patrick's Day parade with Kate, Kayla and Kerri two years ago, and Kate bringing along all kinds of decorations.

"That's what she did every day for them," Michelle said. "She made things special."

Carl said Kerri wrote in a school journal that the best thing about third grade at Chapman was getting to help the special needs kids.

"That just shows was a special girl she was," he said.

Michelle said she can't remember Kate or the girls ever being in a bad mood.

"They always had a smile on their face," she said. "They made you feel better by just being around them."

Visit the Kayla Allen Benefit Fund page on Facebook to make a contribution.

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