I shared the 'missing child' Facebook article at 10:03 am on Thursday, July 13th. I figured I would try to help by getting the word out. To be honest, I didn't expect to hear any more on the case... until I did.
Abbiegail Smith, an 11 year old Keansburg, New Jersey resident had been reported missing by her mother the night before and unfortunately, her body was found buried in the yard behind her apartment building the next morning-- about 42 minutes after I shared the article. She was stabbed to death and an 18 year old man, Andresas Erazo, who lived in the apartment above Abbie's, is the prime suspect.
Keansburg is a small town just across the highway from where I live. News travels fast, and it would be an understatement to say that the surrounding area was shocked at the incident. The community couldn't believe that a crime like this happened so close to home... too close to home.
That's the reality of the world we live in.
You never know what could happen within the next minute, within the next half hour, hour, or day, so it is imperative that we remain vigilant and responsive to our environment and the people around us. We need to abandon the "that won't happen here" mentality. You never truly know someone. Tragedy isn't exclusive in the big cities-- it happens wherever there are bad people, and they are everywhere.
Keep your eyes open, keep your ears open, and tell the people you love that you love them because you might not get the chance to say it later.
If you would like to help the Smith family in this trying time, you can donate to their GoFundMe page by clicking on this link. Anything and everything is appreciated.
Rest in peace, Abbiegail "Abbie" Smith. You will not be forgotten.