Current:Home > NewsA woman was found dead on the University of Georgia campus after she failed to return from a run -GrowthProspect
A woman was found dead on the University of Georgia campus after she failed to return from a run
TradeEdge View
Date:2025-04-09 08:52:54
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — A woman found dead on the University of Georgia campus was a student at a nearby nursing school, said authorities, who were checking security cameras and advising students to travel in groups and avoid the wooded area where her body was found.
Police do not have a suspect, University of Georgia Police Chief Jeff Clark said at a news conference late Thursday. University spokesperson Cole Sosebee confirmed on Friday that the victim’s name is Laken Hope Riley.
The woman was found Thursday afternoon after a friend told police she had not returned from a morning run, authorities said. She was unconscious and had “visible injuries” when officers found her, Clark said.
“When you have a suspect that’s on the loose, there’s always a danger but there’s no immediate danger at this time,” Clark said.
Riley was a student at the Augusta University College of Nursing’s Athens campus, the school said in a statement. Foul play in suspected, school officials said.
Officers searching the area found the woman’s body in a forested area behind Lake Herrick. That area is across a busy road from a large dorm and dining hall complex on what’s commonly called “East Campus.” Most of the students in those dorms are freshmen.
Clark said his department, along with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, were conducting the investigation. He noted that there has not been a homicide on campus in the last 20 years.
“We’re not going to leave any rock unturned in this investigation,” he said.
The University of Georgia canceled classes Friday. Augusta University canceled classes at its Athens campus but said it will remain open as a gathering place for students, faculty and staff.
The death “hits a little too close to home,” said Veronica Bennett, the mother of a University of Georgia student. She’s part of a group of moms pushing for security improvements on campus that go beyond the school’s safety app, WSB-TV reported.
“As a parent, I get tired of that being UGA’s go-to. Oh, we have the safety app. Well, the safety app is not much of a deterrent,” Bennett told the Atlanta TV station.
veryGood! (3)
Related
- Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
- 'Serotonin boost': Indiana man gives overlooked dogs a 2nd chance with dangling videos
- Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi is declared winner of election that opposition wants redone
- Fire at bar during New Year's Eve party kills 1, severely injures more than 20 others
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- First chance to see meteors in 2024: How to view Quadrantids when meteor showers peak
- Mexican actor Ana Ofelia Murguía, who voiced Mama Coco in ‘Coco,’ dies at 90
- Nadal returns with a win in Brisbane in first competitive singles match in a year
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Peter Magubane, a South African photographer who captured 40 years of apartheid, dies at age 91
Ranking
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Niners celebrate clinching NFC's top seed while watching tiny TV in FedExField locker room
- 'AGT: Fantasy League' premiere: Simon Cowell feels 'dumped' after Mel B steals skating duo
- Fighting in southern Gaza city after Israel says it is pulling thousands of troops from other areas
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Peter Magubane, a South African photographer who captured 40 years of apartheid, dies at age 91
- Michael Penix Jr. leads No. 2 Washington to 37-31 victory over Texas and spot in national title game
- The Rock returns to WWE on 'Raw,' teases WrestleMania 40 match vs. Roman Reigns
Recommendation
Intellectuals vs. The Internet
Live updates | Fighting in central and southern Gaza after Israel says it’s pulling some troops out
Green Day changes lyrics to shade Donald Trump during TV performance: Watch
Treatment for acute sleeping sickness has been brutal — until now
All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
How to get the most out of your library
How 1000-lb Sisters' Amy Slaton Addressed Rage With Ex Michael Halterman
Amy Robach Reveals What She's Lost Amid Divorce From Andrew Shue