Brittany Wawrzyniak Death: Arrest Made in Connection to 18-Year-Old's Suspicious Death
Numerous police agencies are investigating the death of 18-year-old Brittany Wawrzyniak, of Worth, Illinois. Authorities arrested 20-year-old Eric Johnson, and have said that his arrest on drug charges is related to Wawrzyniak's death but wouldn't say how.
Wawrzyniak was apparently beaten and thrown from a car in Worth on Friday night. The impact killed her, and police have been investigating ever since. They arrested Johnson soon after, but Wawrzyniak's family is still waiting for more answers, such as what Johnson had to do with their daughter's death and why she was killed.
"We don't know what happened," Rebecca Tully, Brittany's mother, told the Sun-Times on Sunday. "All I know is it's an ongoing investigation."
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"We do believe that Brittany was a victim of violent crime. It's really difficult. The family is religious. They're just keeping their faith right now," family friend Jeanie Hughes added.
Wawrzyniak was a graduate of the Sheperd High School in Palos Heights and was enrolled at the Illinois Institute of Art. She wanted a career in producing music and faithfully attended church with her family and friends. Now those friends are coming together to mourn the loss of a young woman who had a lot of potential and a lifetime ahead of her.
"She wanted to be loved," Tully told ABC News. "She wanted to be part of a group; she wanted to be loved. She was in the church. She wanted to take care of people. My daughter is precious. She's precious. And I don't know, this is all still a shock. I'm not vengeful person. I just want the truth to come out and whoever is responsible to pay."
The family has set up a memorial fund to help cover the cost of the funeral; according to the website, the family "was unprepared for this and could use any help to recover the expenses." Right now approximately half of the money needed has already been raised.
