The Spectator The independent student newspaper of Valdosta State University
Editor’s Note: This developing story will be updated as information becomes available.
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Nov. 20: Update from VSUPD
“On Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012 Valdosta State University police officers responded to a call at Georgia Hall regarding a female, later identified as 17-year-old Jasmine C. Benjamin, being unresponsive. Benjamin was later pronounced deceased by the Lowndes County coroner. The VSU Police Department requested the assistance of the Valdosta Police Department Detective Bureau and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to assist with the follow-up investigation. Investigators with the VSU Police Department, Valdosta Police Department, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation continue to investigate the case to include conducting additional interviews and reviewing evidence. Because the case is still active, no additional information can be released at this time. Anyone who has information pertaining to this case is requested to contact the VSU Police Department at 229-333-7816.”
Nov. 18
The Spectator caught wind of a rumor that a student died in one of VSU’s residence halls. Upon further investigation, it was confirmed that a 17-year-old student, Jasmine Benjamin, was found dead in Georgia Hall’s fifth floor study room. The incident is under investigation.
I agree totally with what you said Tina! First off let me say that I am not any member of the law enforcement or any type of investigator for that matter, but the fact that she was dead for 12 hours before anyone thought anything of it pisses me off. I went on the website and looked at some of the school pictures of the dorms and study halls. Alot of the study halls are seperate rooms by themselves with a door and everything so it is possible for another student to think she may have fallen asleep on the couch and for her to have been by herself where noone noticed her for awhile, but there are supposed to be campus police as well as residence hall staff that are supposed to walk the halls regularly to check on things. So either no one was doing their job or they also thought she had been sleep. But thats when someone shouldve have tried to wake her up and help her to her own bedroom. Another thing I read on the website is that the people with access to the halls are the students with cards or pins, so if someone was to have murdered her, it could have been someone who goes to the school, or a friend of someone who goes to the school, unless the person snuck in, but the campus supposedly has cameras in different areas of the halls so someone should try and run the cameras back to see if they notice anything suspicious going on the night of her death. I hate that this happened to this little girl. I pray for her family’s strength and healing during this time. I have two boys who are ages 8 and 4 and just the thought of them going away to college several years from now and something like this happening is frightening.
Have you heard any thing else about this tragedy?
http://www.vsuspectator.com/2013/01/11/rrest-made-in-benjamin-homicide-case/
I think security should be upgraded by having the RA of each dorm making rounds along with the security guard. Maybe this student’s life could have been saved if someone was making rounds & noticed the student had been on the couch for a while. This is the worse news for any parent to have to hear. Parents send their kids to school to receive an education & think they’re leaving them in a safe place. This is not a good look for the college! Hopefully if this was foul play police offers will get to the bottom of this & if this was not an act of God than someone needs to be punished the fullest degree of the law. This was a young female whose life was just beginning & to have it taken away at such an early age is definitely not right if this was foul play & if anyone knows anything regarding this incident should come forward immediately!
Well Said! Agree 100%! Someone needs to come forward so the family can atleast have some type of closure.