Two held in cheerleader's death at Hawaii hotel

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 1.14.04

[mhking]

KAANAPALI, Hawaii -- Two California men were arrested in the death of an 18-year-old New Jersey cheerleader whose naked body tumbled from the ninth floor balcony of a Maui hotel.

The two men, whose identities were not immediately released, were arrested Tuesday on charges of second-degree murder in the death of Lauren Crossan, of Randolph, N.J., said Lt. Tivoli Faaumu.

Crossan was part of a group from the National Association of American Cheerleaders that was on Maui to participate in Saturday's Hula Bowl college football game. Her body was discovered Monday morning on the grounds of the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort, where she had been staying.

The two men, ages 19 and 20, were registered to the room from which Crossan fell, police said. They were on vacation and not connected to the game or to the cheerleaders' group, Faaumu said.

The men told police that Crossan was in their room when they fell asleep early Monday. Her clothes and personal belongings were still in the room when police arrived to question them, but the men said they didn't know what happened to her, Faaumu said.

"There was some inconsistency in the statements we received from them," Faaumu said. "With all of that, we feel that we have enough probable cause to hold them for questioning at this time."

Crossan had traveled to Maui with two other seniors from Randolph High School and one of the other girl's mothers, who was accompanying them as a chaperone. The three girls had been selected in June by the national organization to perform with nearly 600 other cheerleaders from across the country at the Hula Bowl's halftime show.

The chaperon received a call from Crossan at about 1:30 a.m. Monday saying she was OK and would be returning to her room in the hotel, Faaumu said. When she didn't show up, the others went to look for her but couldn't find her, Faaumu said. A hotel guest spotted her body later that morning.

An autopsy confirmed Crossan died of injuries suffered in the fall, Faaumu said. He said the investigation into her death was continuing.

The girl's school is about 30 miles west of New York City in an affluent area of New Jersey. A message left Wednesday morning with the school district seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Crossan was captain of Randolph High School's cheerleading competition squad. Because of her strength, she was a "base," holding up and catching teammates during performances.

"She never let anyone fall," Nicole Ciolko, former cheerleading team captain, told The Star-Ledger of Newark. "She was just a very strong girl."

[mhking]

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[KantianBurke]

The two men, ages 19 and 20, were registered to the room from which Crossan fell, police said. They were on vacation"

How the heck does a 19 and 20 yr old have enough money to party in Hawaii???

[RoughDobermann]

"She never let anyone fall," Nicole Ciolko, former cheerleading team captain, told The Star-Ledger of Newark.

How ironic, and tragic.

[billorites]

Nice job of chaperoning.

[CanadianLibertarian]

Her naked body fell from the balcony. Hmmm.....problem is, when young people go to other young people's rooms to slut it up, drugs and alcohol can get involved. And then the bad things happen.

[rickmichaels]

How the heck does a 19 and 20 yr old have enough money to party in Hawaii???

Daddy's Amex card.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Because of her strength, she was a "base," holding up and catching teammates during performances.

All your... nevermind...

[kingu]

The chaperon received a call from Crossan at about 1:30 a.m. Monday saying she was OK and would be returning to her room in the hotel, Faaumu said.

Better question, what was the chaperon there for when she would take phone calls at 1:30am from the high schooler she was supposed to be watching?

[Western Phil]

http://www.rtnj.org/rhsathleticawards.htm

[Guillermo]

Maybe they're trust fund kids, like Howard Brush Dean was, when he was skiing in Colorado after he dodged the draft?

[KantianBurke]

She must be one of those adults who want to be "cool" and be "friends" with their charges, rather being square and oppressive.

[expatpat]

Guess who may be facing a tort suit?

[kingu]

She must be one of those adults who want to be "cool" and be "friends" with their charges, rather being square and oppressive.

You mean she thought it would be rather interesting to see if the trip to Hawaii would result in her losing her home and everything for failing to do what she was there for? Of course, she's got a perfect defense - the girl was 18, she didn't have a right to tell her what to do...

It'd be interesting to know what the chaperon was doing at the time, none the less.

[rabidralph]

Performing stunts without a spotter is a cheerleading no-no.

[RightOnline]

"The chaperon received a call from Crossan at about 1:30 a.m. Monday saying she was OK and would be returning to her room in the hotel..."

How positively horrid.

This "chaperone" will have one HELL of a lot of explaining to do.............

[LexBaird]

The men told police that Crossan was in their room when they fell asleep early Monday.

Yeah, this happens to me every time I have an 18 year old naked cheerleader in my room, too. Just can't keep my eyes open.

[drjimmy]

Guess who may be facing a tort suit?

Odds are, the hotel has the deepest pockets.

[laconic]

Yes, the fact that the poor victim was at 18 legally an adult relieves much of the so-called "chaperone's" liability. Nonetheless, it reminds me of the boobyhatch boomer parents who leave their homes to 15 year old kids and stock them with alcohol so they "know" where they are drinking (and doing whoever knows what else).

[Dante3]

Perhaps she was forced into the room or invited under false pretense. Eighteen year olds can be surprisingly naive and trusting.

Odd that the names were not revealed. Perhaps they are from prominent families. The name of the man who told the pilot of the commuter flight from NY to DC to fly to Australia(?) also was never reported in my paper.