All the talk around the water cooler the last couple of days has been about this student at UNCC who was found dead by her car. A sweet looking girl, about 20 years old, left work at a local coffee house in her own vehicle, and was found dead along the Catawba River.
This is upsetting on a couple of different levels. She is so young and vibrant in her pictures and seemed to be so full of life. Who could have squashed that? As of now, the campus police have partnered with Charlotte police in trying to find any news or bits of information as to what could have transpired. The typical responses from the community - she was a good girl, no trouble, great family. What the heck????
I realize that this is not the degree of violence and death that is happening overseas in Iraq or Africa, depending on your area of interest, but it is still very very close to home and something I am seeing on both an employment level and an academic level. Are the young women on campus safe?
There has been a rash of burglaries, car breakins, and general mischief going on for the last few months but that is to be expected in a large community of young people. It just is - demographically speaking, young people commit the majority of the crime. You just don’t see 70 year olds running up behind people and robbing them at gunpoint as much as you see 20-somethings hooking themselves up. They could fall and break a hip or something - the recoil on the gun might bust a frail wrist or some other such elderly nonsense. Their walkers inhibit speedy getaways…..
The point is - it is a darn shame that this poor young girl’s life was extinguished prematurely and I honestly hope that this community can come up with the details that will enable the authorities to capture and try the individual responsible. It is a horrible tragedy for the family and friends of the young woman and I can only hope that she passed peaceably and did not experience too much pain. Also, I would hope that the university community will take whatever steps necessary to protect the students and employees on campus from the crimes that have been transpiring.
