{"id":37808,"date":"2025-10-27T01:07:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T01:07:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808"},"modified":"2025-10-27T01:07:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-27T01:07:09","slug":"middlebury-college-mourns-the-loss-of-student-lia-smith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808","title":{"rendered":"Middlebury College Mourns the Loss of Student Lia Smith"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"201\" data-end=\"668\">What began as a hopeful community search for a missing student has ended in deep heartbreak for those who knew and loved\u00a0<strong data-start=\"322\" data-end=\"335\">Lia Smith<\/strong>, a 21-year-old student at Middlebury College. Lia was reported missing on October 17 after she was last seen on campus, prompting an extensive search involving local authorities, students, staff, and volunteers. The college community came together in determination and worry, united by the shared hope of bringing her home safely.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"670\" data-end=\"1188\">On October 23, authorities confirmed that Lia had been found deceased in a field near\u00a0<strong data-start=\"756\" data-end=\"769\">The Knoll<\/strong>, Middlebury\u2019s organic farm. Investigators found no evidence of foul play, and the medical examiner later ruled her death a suicide. The news brought a sorrowful end to days of searching and underscored the urgent importance of mental health awareness and support within college communities. Across campus, moments of silence, memorials, and messages of care reflected the weight of the loss felt by all who knew her.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1190\" data-end=\"1731\">In a statement,\u00a0<strong data-start=\"1206\" data-end=\"1249\">Middlebury College President Ian Baucom<\/strong>\u00a0extended condolences to Lia\u2019s family, describing her as a remarkable student whose presence enriched the campus. Lia was an active member of the\u00a0<strong data-start=\"1395\" data-end=\"1431\">Women\u2019s Swimming and Diving Team<\/strong>, the\u00a0<strong data-start=\"1437\" data-end=\"1465\">Chess and Japanese clubs<\/strong>, and a vocal advocate for\u00a0<strong data-start=\"1492\" data-end=\"1514\">transgender rights<\/strong>. Pursuing a double major in\u00a0<strong data-start=\"1543\" data-end=\"1578\">computer science and statistics<\/strong>, she was admired for her intelligence, compassion, and quiet determination \u2014 traits that left a lasting impression on classmates and professors alike.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1733\" data-end=\"2302\">Messages of grief, love, and remembrance have poured in from friends, mentors, and family members. Lia\u2019s passion for learning and her dream of using data to make meaningful change inspired everyone who crossed her path. Her passing is a profound loss to the Middlebury community \u2014 a reminder of how essential it is to care for one another, to speak openly about mental health, and to reach out with kindness when someone seems to be struggling. In honoring Lia\u2019s memory, many have renewed their commitment to building a culture of compassion, empathy, and connection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What began as a hopeful community search for a missing student has ended in deep heartbreak for those who knew and loved\u00a0Lia Smith, a 21-year-old student at&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37809,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finance"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Middlebury College Mourns the Loss of Student Lia Smith - Story<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Middlebury College Mourns the Loss of Student Lia Smith - Story\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What began as a hopeful community search for a missing student has ended in deep heartbreak for those who knew and loved\u00a0Lia Smith, a 21-year-old student at...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Story\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-27T01:07:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/storypress.site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/4-4.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1071\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1339\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a5ed62cf98327a47ff27df0efbb64d0f\"},\"headline\":\"Middlebury College Mourns the Loss of Student Lia Smith\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-27T01:07:09+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808\"},\"wordCount\":340,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/4-4.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Finance\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808\",\"name\":\"Middlebury College Mourns the Loss of Student Lia Smith - Story\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/4-4.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-27T01:07:09+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a5ed62cf98327a47ff27df0efbb64d0f\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/4-4.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/4-4.webp\",\"width\":1071,\"height\":1339},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?p=37808#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Middlebury College Mourns the Loss of Student Lia Smith\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/\",\"name\":\"Story\",\"description\":\"News\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a5ed62cf98327a47ff27df0efbb64d0f\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/265c253169b29110d71d15515c0df9905067496fd2c9a0d7a3063d701f72e353?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/265c253169b29110d71d15515c0df9905067496fd2c9a0d7a3063d701f72e353?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/265c253169b29110d71d15515c0df9905067496fd2c9a0d7a3063d701f72e353?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/storypress.site\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Middlebury College Mourns the Loss of Student Lia Smith - Story","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Middlebury College Mourns the Loss of Student Lia Smith - Story","og_description":"What began as a hopeful community search for a missing student has ended in deep heartbreak for those who knew and loved\u00a0Lia Smith, a 21-year-old student at...","og_url":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808","og_site_name":"Story","article_published_time":"2025-10-27T01:07:09+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1071,"height":1339,"url":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/4-4.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/#\/schema\/person\/a5ed62cf98327a47ff27df0efbb64d0f"},"headline":"Middlebury College Mourns the Loss of Student Lia Smith","datePublished":"2025-10-27T01:07:09+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808"},"wordCount":340,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/4-4.webp","articleSection":["Finance"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808","url":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808","name":"Middlebury College Mourns the Loss of Student Lia Smith - Story","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/4-4.webp","datePublished":"2025-10-27T01:07:09+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/#\/schema\/person\/a5ed62cf98327a47ff27df0efbb64d0f"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/4-4.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/4-4.webp","width":1071,"height":1339},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?p=37808#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Middlebury College Mourns the Loss of Student Lia Smith"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/#website","url":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/","name":"Story","description":"News","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/#\/schema\/person\/a5ed62cf98327a47ff27df0efbb64d0f","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/265c253169b29110d71d15515c0df9905067496fd2c9a0d7a3063d701f72e353?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/265c253169b29110d71d15515c0df9905067496fd2c9a0d7a3063d701f72e353?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/265c253169b29110d71d15515c0df9905067496fd2c9a0d7a3063d701f72e353?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/storypress.site"],"url":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37808","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=37808"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37808\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37810,"href":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37808\/revisions\/37810"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/37809"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storypress.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}