To memorialize 17-year-old cheerleader Hailey Stephens, who was slain at a home party a year ago, people gathered at Casa Grande Union High School.
Vanessa Stephens, Hailey’s mother, remarked, “I hear her laughing when I think of her.”
A 14-year-old kid found guilty of her murder earlier this month received the maximum sentence, , which is only four years due to his age. He will remain incarcerated until he becomes eighteen.
“In my opinion, the person who killed my daughter should have received a life sentence, but Arizona states that’s not the case,” Vanessa stated. “There were basically two lives lost between him and Hailey.”
As a memorial to her daughter, Vanessa turned her suffering into a cause by founding the Hailey Lynn Stephens Foundation
Seniors who are graduating are given scholarships by the organization.
Vanessa stated, “We did give out two to two of her friends this past May.”
On Saturday, loved ones inscribed messages for Hailey before sending pink balloons into the sky.
Her friend Mia Jackson said, “I just told her that I loved her and I will continue to love her in every life because she was the sunshine in everyone’s life.”
In order to attend the event, Jackson took a plane from his college in Tennessee to Arizona.
Because pink was her color, Jackson remarked, “I make sure to look for every pink sunset because they remind me of her.”
At a home party last November, Hailey was hit by a stray bullet and died. Despite being shot, her friend lived.
Vanessa is only thinking about her daughter’s legacy and all the individuals who are supporting her family now that the murder trial is finished.
The unwavering support has truly been what got us through her terrible loss. “Everyone has wonderful memories of her,” Vanessa remarked.