The body of 17-year-old Jennaleah “Jenna” Hin, missing since December 30, was found in the Nevada desert. After a week of searching, this is the tragic end, as law enforcement confirmed that the death of the teenager was a suicide, sending shockwaves of sadness among her family, friends, and community.
A Disappearance That Shook a Community
The senior from Foothill High School in Henderson, Nev., was last seen leaving her family’s house after a heated argument. Parting words that rang out were “You don’t have to worry about me anymore.” Immediately, the family knew those words meant they had reason for grave concern. Without her cell phone or cash, Jenna’s abrupt departure left immediate concerns over her safety.
Local police, volunteers, and specialist search teams have scoured for any sign of Jenna since she disappeared. The desert has been scoured with helicopters, drones, and K-9 units as her family also made public appeals for her to return home safely. At a news conference, parents Jennifer and Corey Swanson spoke about their sadness but still mentioned the hope to find their daughter and bring her home.
Heartbreaking Discovery
On January 5, at about morning, police received a call reporting a body found in the desert area at Desert Sunflower Circle and Spanish Needle Street. Police responded to find the remains of a young female described to be Jenna. Authorities identified her the next day, along with her cause of death: a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
It saddens this revelation brought the community of Henderson, and importantly, her schoolmates and teachers from Foothill High School down to their knees. Jenna is remembered to have been a bright and very good-hearted teen who always was amongst people who lived with their lives which she ever touched.
Community Mourn and Appeal Sent to the Families
A GoFundMe in Jenna’s name was set up to help her family with funeral expenses after her death. The GoFundMe described Jenna as vibrant, full of life, and very loved by people around her, even through her darkest times.
Tributes flowed in from, among others, friends, class peers, and strangers who took on deep emotions for that tragedy. Condolence messages flooded social media for greater awareness of youth mental health issues.
The story of poor Jenna shed light on the stresses put on teenagers, along with how much families need to be more open. Now, local organizations say, comes a need for accessible mental health resources: encouraging any distressed persons to seek help.
As the family of Jenna mourns a loss that will never heal, they hope that Jenna’s story serves as a catalyst for others to seek help and reminds all that when life gets hard, compassion and understanding are due. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm, click for resources to help and for support.
