HS Valkeakoski | “Everyone liked it” – Locals gathered to remember the young man found dead in the forest

A teenage girl the death deeply shocked and sowed fear in Valkeakoski on Saturday.

Dark rain clouds swirled in the sky in oppressive heat, as the residents of a small town in Pirkanmaa brought candles to the side of a forest path in memory of a 15-year-old girl near Naaka school.

“That was my good friend,” said Dumpling Jalonen14. HS asked the mother of Jalonen, under the age of 15, for permission to interview.

“Okay, a bit of everyone’s friend. I really didn’t deserve something like this,” Jalonen said.

With was in the memory moment Essi Pulla15. He also said that he knew the victim and that he used to hang out with the same group of friends.

The friends did not have exact information about the events of the previous evening, but the victim had apparently been spending the evening at Kirjaslammi, a swimming spot popular with young people.

According to the friends, there is a good atmosphere among the local young people, and they were not aware that the victim had had a quarrel with anyone.

“It’s a pretty united group here,” Pulla said.

“Terrible, unnerving”, Jalonen described the emotions evoked by the event.

A candle also landed a family of four who introduced themselves Annis, Mikko, As Emilia16, and For tea11. They wanted to appear only by their first names and did not want to be photographed.

The eldest daughter was in the same class as the victim. They had known each other since kindergarten.

“Everyone loved it,” Emilia said.

“Warm, cordial, sunny, always smiling”, Anni recalled.

According to him, there are many families with children living in the quiet residential area, and you rarely meet anyone on the path. In the evening, the road is dark. Trees grow densely around.

The parents said they reminded their children to be careful when moving outside.

“Anything can happen. He [kuollut tyttö] hit the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Nearby resident Maria Nieminen was walking the dog. The tragic event worried the mother of the 14-, 18- and 19-year-old girls. He did not know the victim.

“It came completely out of the blue. Everyone is terribly shocked that how can this be true.”

Nieminen said that he has let his children move outside quite carefree until now, because the place has felt safe.

“I don’t dare anymore. At least for a moment.”

Book pond a lot of young people and their parents had gathered at the swimming place on Saturday evening. The young people hugged when they met. Many had flowers with them. Several cried.

A memorial service was about to begin. HS did not interview or photograph clearly upset young people.

At the same time, people in the city center were preparing for the weekend. Heidi and Juhani Lehtinen were on their way to restaurant Mama’s to listen to live music.

“Yes, this causes fear for young people. I haven’t quite recovered from what happened,” Heidi Lehtinen said at the Valkeakoski market.

The couple couldn’t remember anything similar happening in their hometown during their lifetime.

“It’s been terribly quiet here. We have always read in the newspapers that everything happens elsewhere.”

Commercial center The friends, who have remained anonymous, who arrived in Koskikara on bicycles, searched for words.

“It’s scary as a mother. Nothing usually happens here,” said another.