Nov 14, 2008 1:10 pm US/Eastern
Classmates, Community Grieve Over Student's Death
Classmates Planned To Wear White To Remember Their "Fallen Angel"
I-Team data shows school violence rising
FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ―
-
-
Students at Dillard High held a prayer vigil Thursday morning for classmate Amanda Collette who was shot to death in a school hallway the day before.
CBS
-
-
Teah Wimberly, 15, charged with first-degree murder on Nov. 13th in a Ft. Lauderdale court.
CBS
Grief counselors continued to be on hand at Dillard High School on Friday as students mourned the shooting death of their fellow student earlier this week.
Funeral arrangements will be held on Monday for fifteen-year-old Amanda Collette, who was shot and killed by a classmate and friend.
The mass will be open to the public on Nov. 17th at 11am at
St. Clement Catholic Church, located at 2975 N. Andrews Ave. in Wilton Manors.
There's been an outpouring of grief from fellow students still mourning the loss of sophomore student, Amanda, a lover of dance, a girl whom everyone liked.
There's confusion on campus, and there's hurt. Flowers, teddy bears, and awkward messages scrawled on walls.
Student Crystal Dranetz said, "She was very pretty, she was very sweet, like an angel. That is why I brought these teddy bears because they are like her… like angels."
Some students continued to wear black.
Sonsearay Miller, another classmate, added, "She really was loved by many and she really had a lot of friends, so we are here to support her because we miss her already and we love her a lot."
Amanda's cousin, Yvette Taylor, who dropped off her two children at the school, told
CBS4 more needs to be done about such violence.
"The solution first starts at the home," she said. "We, as parents, need to teach our kids that if things don't go our way there are ways to handle it."
Late Wednesday night a flood of friends and neighbors visited Collette's home to let her family know that she was loved.
"I loved Amanda," said friend Yourisha Wims. "She was my best friend ever. I don't know why this happened to her; she never deserved this at all."
"I just know that I will miss her a lot, a whole lot," said Chrishalon Williams, another friend.
Friends and neighbors say she was smart and sweet, she loved to dance ballet, tap and perform in her school's marching band.
Amanda took dance classes in Pompano Beach at the Pro-Am Dance Studio for five years.
Joan Iacino, dance studio owner, said "Amanda was the sweetest girl, shy, but sweet and loving, and she loved to perform." She added, "She was a talented girl who could have gone places."
Iacino said she will be initiating a kick-a-ton, a fundraiser for the family.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Teah Wimberly, 15, appeared in court charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting Amanda outside a computer lab on Wednesday. Prosecutors said they may try her as an adult.
According to Wimberly's friends, she reportedly wanted to start a relationship with Collette, but Collette had resisted those advances. At some point Wednesday morning Wimberly reportedly texted Collette to meet her by a set of vending machines by the computer lab.
Police say they found Wimberly at a nearby Captain Crab's restaurant after she called them and reportedly said that she had shot her friend.
On Sunday, there will be memorial service open to the public in the auditorium of the performing arts building of Dillard High School at 4pm.
The funeral mass on Monday, Nov. 17th will be open to the public at 11am at St. Clement Catholic Church, located at 2975 N. Andrews Ave. in Wilton Manors, phone number (954) 563-1183.
Following the mass, there will be a burial at Sunset Memorial Gardens at 3201 NW 19th St. in Fort Lauderdale.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Burned Teen's Family Staying Positive
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
