The memorial at the crash site where one teen died and two other teens were injured Monday grew with more balloons, flowers and cards full of condolences Wednesday.
According to Keondre Moss’ family, strangers have been sending them negative notes, making their pain even worse. Moss is the 16-year-old who died in the crash. According to Keondre’s sister, Kianna Williams, people have sent those messages to the family’s GoFundMe page, which was set up to help pay for funeral costs.
“I’m not too saddened at stupid choices teens make knowing yet still not caring if the damages they bring to theirselves and others,” one message said.
According to JSO, witnesses said the car Moss and the two other teens were in was going fast, and may have been racing two other cars before it hit a tree.
“It’s hard to compare adolescent thinking to adult thinking, Dr. Pamela Trotter, professor of psychology at FSCJ said. "There’s just so many things that may not make sense and maybe irrational or impulsive, and they take a lot of risks.”
“It’s not uncommon for adolescences to make decisions that are risky," she said. "Many of us probably have but may have not had as bad of an outcome.”
According to Trotter, messages like the ones strangers have sent to Williams family and comments they’ve made on Facebook prolongs the grieving process for a family already full of pain.
“It makes it difficult to not only deal with the grief of the loss of a loved one but then you’re getting all of this judgment and this hate which is hard on any of us,” she said.
“So, when you couple that with grieving, that grieving process could go on for a very long time because the shame, the blame, the guilt, as well as the loss," Trotter said. "So all of these emotions being coupled together or quadrupled together it can be really hard for those individuals.”
Williams said she didn’t want to talk on camera about the messages sent because she doesn’t want to focus on the negatives. She did say she wants those strangers to know, however, that words have weight. Williams said she and her family are planning her brother’s funeral and want to remember the great person he was.
“Keondre was funny, super laid back," Williams said. "He loved to match his shoes to match his shirt to match his jeans. He stayed dressed to impress.”
“He loved his sneakers and hanging with his niece," she said. "Every day she would run to him when he would get home from school and every evening he would tell her goodnight, he loved her and to give him a hug.”
Trotter said focusing on the support from the community is exactly what Moss’ family should continue to do.
“You have to just turn the comments off," she said. "People of goodwill who understand teenagers sometimes make impulsive and risky choices and that these accidents happen … there are going to be people who know that, and see that, and want to support you financially."
Oakleaf High School leaders and students have planned a moment of silence Friday before the homecoming football game to remember Moss. Students said they’re also planning a vigil for 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the crash site.
The other two teens involved in the crash, Tajuan Richey and Brian Ransom, were rushed to the hospital. We’re told by family members and friends they’re both still in the hospital. Richey has been under sedation since he was brought to the hospital Monday, according to his mom.
Richey and Ransom's families set up GoFundMe pages for both of the teens to help pay for medical bills.
