Family wants answers sought in teenager’s death

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Shannon Harden wears a T-shirt with a picture of her cousin, Kaitlin Whoolery.

Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter

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Balloons are released in honor of Kaitlin Whoolery

Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter

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Kevin Price, right, Kaitlin Whoolery’s grandfather, holds a candle with Khloe Basinger, another of his granddaughters.

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Family and friends of Kaitlin Whoolery gather at a vigil held in her honor near where her remains were found.

Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter

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Family and friends of Kaitlin Whoolery just want answers concerning what led to the death of the 17-year-old.

“We deserve answers,” said Shannon Harden, Whoolery’s cousin. “We’re all hurting. Everyone that loved her, we’re all here together. We deserve justice.”

A vigil was held Sunday on the abandoned property where Whoolery’s remains were found on April 16 in the area of Washington Avenue near a set of train tracks and a stream in North Union Township. About 30 people attended on Sunday, holding candles and releasing balloons in memory of Whoolery.

Harden, of Charleroi, sported a T-shirt with her cousin’s picture.

She said the purpose of Sunday’s vigil was to provide a chance to remember Whoolery, as her body cannot be released as testing continues to determine a cause of death.

“We all wanted to gather in honor of her and celebrate and talk about her,” Harden said. “The people that loved her, we wanted them all to be together. She would have wanted the same. She was such a family person. She loved being with her family and friends.”

Those who spoke recalled a spunky girl who had a bit of a daredevil streak. Each fought back tears when recalling Whoolery.

“My cousin was a very beautiful girl,” Harden said. “She was very talented, very bright. When she walked in, she just lit up the whole room. She was beautiful, had a beautiful smile. I can’t really believe this is the outcome, this is where she’s been. We’ve been looking for months for her.”

“She was a daredevil, but she was a good lady,” Kevin Price said of his granddaughter. “It’s a shame her life was taken so young. That young lady didn’t deserve to be buried on a hill in dirt. We hope we do find out what happened to my little girl. If you know something, say something.”

Ashley Tarr, a Brownsville High School senior, tearfully recalled her best friend since sixth grade.

“She was my other half,” Tarr said. “We were together 24/7. She meant everything to me. We were so close, and our bond was so strong. I just can’t believe she’s gone. It just hurts me knowing that my best friend is gone. I just love her so much. I enjoyed every moment I had with her.”

Whoolery, who would have turned 18 on Aug. 3, was last seen on Nov. 23, after leaving the family home that Thanksgiving Day.

“These past months have been hell, to say the least,” Harden admitted emotionally. “We’ve searched, we’ve posted pictures, hung fliers, begged and asked for help, begged and asked for answers, and we’ve gotten nothing until this.”

Local authorities have been working with a forensic anthropologist from Mercyhurst University to process the remains further.

“She can be buried in peace now that we found her,” Price said. “She can rest in peace.”