WREG.com

Community copes with loss of former Cordova High School student

MEMPHIS,Tenn. — People are coming together to help high school students get through a tough time after a high school student was killed in a car crash Monday.

It didn’t take long for people in the Cordova community to learn about the loss of 16-year-old Brianna Jones.

Conturarius Walker had already graduated when Jones started there, but still took her death pretty hard because of the impact it can have on current students.

“It’s really saddening when I think about the school and everything and somebody passing away. It’s a huge loss to the community,” he said.

Grief counselors spent the day at Cordova High School. Jones went to the school before moving to Texas.

She was in a pick-up truck with her boyfriend, Barrett Taylor, when a 72-year-old driver hit them.

Barrett is a student at Bartlett High.

Josh Shirley is the youth pastor at Kirby Woods Baptist Church. He encourages members of his youth ministry to reach out to someone they trust when dealing with the loss of a close friend or family member.

“Sometimes we think, well I`m the only one who thinks this way or people would judge my thoughts but it`s important to express the thoughts and to hear those things are normal. It’s understandable, you’ve lost a loved one, you’ve lost a friend,” he said.

As of now, no charges have been filed, and police are still investigating.