A teenage girl who died when she was hit by a train in Martinez on Sunday has been identified by the Contra Costa County coroner's office as 14-year-old Jenna Betti, an eighth-grader at Martinez Junior High School.
Jenna was struck at about 5 p.m. Sunday by a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train on the railroad tracks near Old Orchard and Howe roads, Martinez police said.
BNSF Railway spokeswoman Lena Kent said three crewmembers aboard the train noticed the girl and someone else on the tracks.
"They both exited the tracks, then for whatever reason, she came back onto the tracks" and was hit, Kent said.
Jonathan Eagan, principal at Martinez Junior High, said Jenna was a club soccer athlete whose death has left the school in mourning.
"Honestly, right now it's a lot of shock, devastation and sadness that we're all experiencing," Eagan said.
He said some students are wearing pink Monday in honor of Jenna and that the Martinez Unified School District is providing grief counselors on campus Monday for students and staff.
A candlelight vigil will be held Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the high school commons to honorJenna's life.
