Slain UGA student Laken Riley member of same sorority that lost 2 sisters in 2016 car crash

ATHENS, Ga. — The University of Georgia sorority where slain student Laken Riley was a member is no stranger to grief.

Alpha Chi Omega also lost two sisters in a car crash that killed four students in 2016.

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Kayla Canedo, 19; Brittany Feldman, 20; Christina Semeria, 19; and Halle Scott 19, were all killed in a crash in Oconee County on April 27, 2016. Only the driver, Agnes Kim, survived the crash, though she suffered a traumatic brain injury.

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Canedo and Semeria were both members of Alpha Chi Omega. Canedo was the vice president of chapter relations and standards chair.

Semeria’s mother, Cathy Crawford Semeria, brought sunflowers to the Alpha Chi Omega house in honor of Riley, who was found dead after she went for a jog on UGA’s campus last week.

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“Grief is a crazy thing, all of this has brought us right back to the day our lives changed forever in 2016 and Tini, Kayla, Halle & Brittany went to be with Jesus for eternity,” Semeria wrote. “All the flowers in the house, the aroma, seeing it all…the heaviness of grief enveloped us in ways you can’t explain. We love you sweet AXO girls, know we’re here for you and we’re praying nonstop... I’m absolutely sure that Tini & Kayla hugged Laken Riley so tight, their AXO sister and Sister-in-Christ for eternity.”

Semeria placed the sunflowers on a table between two blankets honoring her daughter and Canedo. Flowers and cards filled a room in the sorority house.

A Venezuelan man has been arrested on murder charges in Riley’s death. According to the coroner, Riley died from blunt-force trauma to the head.

Riley attended Augusta University’s Athens campus but was still active in her UGA sorority.

The community has set up a GoFundMe to honor Riley’s memory and help pay for funeral expenses.

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