Laken Riley’s parents turn down invite from Rep. Mike Collins to State of the Union

Murdered Georgia student Laken Riley’s parents reportedly turned down an invite from Rep. Mike Collins to the State of the Union on Thursday, March 7

Published on: Mar 7, 2024, 08:15:03 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Murdered Georgia student Laken Riley’s parents reportedly turned down an invite from Rep. Mike Collins to the State of the Union on Thursday, March 7. Collins (R-Ga.) represents Georgia’s 10th Congressional District of Athens. This is where Riley was attacked and killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal immigrant.

Laken Riley’s parents turned down an invite from Rep. Mike Collins to the State of the Union (GoFundMe, Representative Mike Collins/Facebook)

Collins took to X to announce that there will be a vacant seat at the presidential address in her honour. “I invited Laken Riley’s parents to the State of the Union address, but understandably, they have chosen to stay home as they grieve the loss of their daughter,” Collins wrote.

“Therefore, the seat reserved for my guest will remain vacant to honor Laken and all American victims of illegal alien crime,” he added. “As Joe Biden attempts to paint a rosy picture of the crime-ridden country he has created, he will look up at an empty seat that memorializes those we’ve lost because of his open border policies.”

Laken Riley’s murder

Riley was a nursing student at Augusta University and was out on a morning run last month when she was murdered. She was found dead near a lake on the University of Georgia’s campus in Athens. Official police reports said she died from "blunt force trauma.”

A White House spokesperson previously released a statement on Riley’s death. "We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Laken Hope Riley,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "People should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law if they are found to be guilty. Given this is an active case, we would have to refer you to state law enforcement and ICE."

Ibarra, 26, was later charged with malice and felony murder, aggravated battery, kidnapping, concealing the death of another and other charges. Police said the incident was a “crime of opportunity.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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