honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 12:11 p.m., Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Schoolmates mourn death of cheerleader

Advertiser Staff and News Services

A high school cheerleader’s dream trip to Hawai'i to perform at college football’s Hula Bowl on Maui ended in tragedy and mystery as she plunged to her death from a hotel balcony.

On a 9-degree morning thousands of miles away, the small New Jersey suburb of Randolph grieved today for 18-year-old Lauren Crossan as it waited for answers about her death.

"There is an overwhelming sense of loss in the community," said John C. Lovell, whose daughter attended Randolph High School with the popular Crossan.

"I can’t even describe how much it hurts," said Erica Bauerlein, a senior at Randolph High School who had known Lauren since both were 3 years old. "People were breaking down in school. I’ve never seen anything so somber since 9-11. The hallways were so quiet."

Lynne Muccia, another classmate, said Crossan was a straight arrow who would not have willingly chased trouble. She speculated that someone Crossan met might have secretly slipped her something.

Crossan’s naked body was found on a patio Monday morning by a hotel guest only hours after she had checked into the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa.

Yesterday, Maui police arrested two California men, ages 19 and 20, who were registered to the room from which Crossan fell. The two men were released today pending investigation after spending the night in jail, according to police records. No charges were filed.

Preliminary autopsy results today indicated that Crossan was not sexually assaulted before falling to her death from the Ka'anapali hotel balcony Monday, but that she was drinking.

Maui County Medical Examiner Anthony Manoukian said an autopsy confirmed that Crossan died of injuries suffered in the fall.

There was no evidence of sexual assault.

As for alcohol, Manoukian said he’s still waiting for the final toxicology report, but preliminary results point to the consumption of alcohol. The final report will determine just how much alcohol was in her system, he said.

The teenager, a senior cheerleader at Randolph High School, was among 450 cheerleaders from the National Cheerleaders Association scheduled to perform at this Saturday’s Hula Bowl at War Memorial Stadium in Wailuku.

Acting Lt. Tivoli Faaumu of the Lahaina Criminal Investigation Division said Crossan apparently had met the two men at the hotel. The men were on vacation and not connected to the football game nor to the cheerleaders’ group, Faaumu said.

The California men, whose identities have not been released, told police that the woman was in their room when they fell asleep at around 1:30 a.m. Monday.

Her clothing was in the room when police arrived to question the men, who said they didn’t know what happened to her until police told them, Faaumu said.

Standing outside Randolph High School on a frigid afternoon, ice crystals forming in her still-damp dark brown hair, classmate Courtney Burbridge tried to remember how Crossan lived instead of how she died.

"She was always so happy, always smiling, always happy to see people," Burbridge said. "She was just a great person. We’re all still in shock over this."

Educators also spoke warmly of Crossan.

"She had that smile that was very joyful," said Richard Martone, vice principal at the high school in the suburban community of 20,000 about 30 miles west of New York City. "She had been cheerleading since she was very young, and she was totally focused on it. That’s why she was in Hawai'i, after being recognized for being an exceptional cheerleader."

Crossan was a standout athlete, playing on the school softball team as a freshman and sophomore, and cheerleading for the wrestling, basketball and football teams. She also served as statistician for the basketball team.

The Associated Press and Advertiser staff writer Timothy Hurley contributed to this report.