Memorial run for Quinn Butt held at Quidi Vidi Lake

Hundreds of people, dressed in purple and pink, gathered in St. John's on Saturday to pay tribute to a 5-year-old alleged murder victim.

About 300 walkers and runners came out to Quidi Vidi Lake on Saturday morning to remember Quinn Butt, who police say was murdered in her own home in Harbour Grace last month.

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Organizer Leighann Leblanc was taking donations to be sent to Iris Kirby House and the Quinn's Place playground project, and says she was overwhelmed by the response to her online initiative.

"I was not expecting so many people," she said on Saturday morning. "But it really snowballed really fast."

"That's kind ofwhat Newfoundlanders do. They pull together when times are good but even moreso when times are bad."

Leblanc says she was moved to do something when she heard the news of Quinn's death on April 24, so she started a Facebook page to organize an event.

'Unimaginable'

"I don't know the family, but I have a young daughter who is almost four," said Leblanc.

"Just thinking about what that family was going through was pretty unimaginable."

Her initiative caught steam, and brought hundreds of people down to Quidi Vidi in St. John's, including Jill Osmond.

"It's such a tragedy-- we thought we could come out. It's the least we could do," she said.

"It's almost like something you'd hear about in a movie. And for this to happen in Newfoundland - I don't know, it's not right.

Organizers said the run raised more than $3,000.