Hours before her daughter was found murdered, the mother of murdered Georgia nursing student Laken Riley shared a heartbreaking post about missing her daughter on a family vacation.
Allison Phillips celebrated her family’s vacation in Colorado on Wednesday, the day before her daughter’s body was found at the hands of a Venezuelan immigrant.
“We had a wonderful time with wonderful friends celebrating Brinda’s birthday in Crested Butte, Colorado. Massages, skiing, delicious food, and beautiful views!” written by mom Along with a series of photos from their family vacation in Crested Butte.
“The only thing missing was Laken Riley,” the retired teacher wrote.
The mother also shared how proud she was when her daughter, a sorority member, recently made the dean’s list.
“Mom’s Proud Moment!” Laken made the Dean’s List.” she captioned the image February 3rd.
“This girl works harder than anyone I know!” She will make a great nurse. ”
The Augusta University student was found dead in a wooded area near Herrick Lake on the University of Georgia campus, a day after Riley’s absence was noted in a Wednesday vacation post.
The family thanked people for their support and asked for “the time and space necessary to grieve the tragically cut short life of our daughter.”
“Laken was a wonderful daughter, sister, friend and overall wonderful human being,” her family said.
“While we will miss her every day, we are committed to honoring her as she moves forward in life.”
The co-ed’s cause of death was listed as “blunt force trauma.”
Jose Antonio Ybarra, 26, was arrested the day after the killing and charged with malice, felony murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping and concealing a death, University of Georgia Police Chief Jeffrey Clark told reporters. said.
Authorities called the killing a “crime of opportunity.”
According to reports, the Venezuelan national crossed the border with Mexico in El Paso, Texas, in September 2022 and was detained but later released by DHS.
Follow The Post’s coverage of Laken Riley’s murder
The newspaper previously reported that Ybarra traveled to New York City with his wife and 5-year-old son after entering the country and taking a job delivering food in Queens.
Last year, he was arrested and charged by the New York Police Department with endangering the welfare of a child after officers spotted him riding a scooter with a boy without a helmet, officials said.
Police sources said Ybarra then left his wife and moved to Georgia to live with his brother near the campus where Riley was enrolled and where his brother had previously worked.
Riley reportedly transferred from the nearby University of Georgia to Augusta University’s nursing program after the spring 2023 semester.
According to Riley’s obituary, a funeral Mass is scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m. at the Woodstock, Georgia City Church, with funeral arrangements being handled by Poole Funeral Home of Woodstock, Georgia.
