Two teenage girls were found dead in a car this past weekend between the Virgina and West Virgina borders. According to preliminary autopsy results, the deaths occurred as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.16 year-old Rachel Smith and 18-year-old Rachel Crites, both of Montgomery County Maryland, ran away from their homes in January. The night they ran away, they told their parents they would be going to dinner and a movie. When they did not return home, their parents contacted the authorities and a regional search ensued. The girls were not found until Friday, when their bodies were located in Loudon County, Virginia.
According to an entry in Crite's diary, it appears the girls were dating each other. Crite's diary read:
"Wherever I end up laying, whether buried or cremated, I want to stay with my true love, buried next to her. This is my choice. I'm sorry."It is unclear why the girls ran away from home or why they chose to kill themselves. The parents have been pointing to signs of depression.
Unfortunately, numerous studies have shown that gay youth are disproportionately more likely to commit suicide than their peers. This is partially due to the social stigma and pressures associated with coming out and living as a gay youth.
These were two invisible youth we could not reach in time.
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