New College of Florida Mourns Jessica Wantz, Muriel Avellaneda

by Jordan Yerman | January 12, 2010 at 07:48 am

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Jessica Wantz, a freshman at the New College of Florida, was killed in a sled accident while visiting her home town of New Castle, Indiana. The news of Jessica Wantz's death has shaken the New College of Florida, located in Sarasota. Also, New College of Florida alumna Muriel Avellaneda died in Gainseville after a long illness.

New College of Florida President Gordon Michalson said, "This is tragic beyond belief. This is the very worst thing that can happen at any college, especially a small college."

Facebook profile for Muriel Avellaneda
Facebook page for Jessica Wantz

Michalson said he would reach out to the teenager's family and any campus reaction would be based on the family's wishes.

A Facebook group in Wantz' memory formed about 1 p.m. Saturday and garnered nearly 500 members in only six hours. Many left messages filled with memories of Wantz and prayers for her.

According to friends, Muriel was an expert in older and contemporary rock music, read American and international literature and philosophy in three languages, wrote poetry and fiction, loved cats, shoes, books and the television show “Scrubs.”