Two Indiana high school students driving to their prom were killed in a car crash.
Hamilton Heights High School senior Kalen Hart and her prom date, Lendon Byram, who attended Cathedral High School, were killed in the crash.
Derek Arrowood, the superintendent of Hamilton Heights School Corporation, confirmed the news on a Facebook post.
“It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we have been informed that two students involved in this accident died from their injuries,” Arrowood said.
Both were found dead when authorities arrived on the scene. Byram was driving the vehicle, and Hart was the front-seat passenger. Two other passengers riding in the back seat were not injured.
Authorities are still investigating what caused the crash, but they don’t think drugs or alcohol were involved.
The school canceled prom activities following the crash and is offering students counseling.
“Grief is personal, and everyone experiences and processes loss and trauma differently,” the school said in a statement. “This is an unimaginable loss for these families and our school community.”
Hart’s mother, Jody Bartrom Conaway, started a fundraiser on Facebook seeking $15,000 to cover Hart’s funeral and burial costs. As of Sunday afternoon, over $13,000 has been raised.
“Anything you can give is greatly appreciated,” Bartrom Conaway wrote. “No parent should ever have to bury their child.”
