Washington Township, NJ mourns high school student killed in tragic crash

🔴 Gloucester County teen killed in Friday night crash

🔴 She was a school swimmer and softball player

🔴 Her mother works for the school district

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (Gloucester) — A Gloucester County community is mourning the death of a 16-year-old high school student killed in a weekend crash.

Sophia Bennett, of Washington Township, has been identified as the passenger in a vehicle involved in a fatal crash in Deptford on Friday night.

The Deptford police said two vehicles crashed around 8 p.m. at the intersection of Hurfville Road and Deptford Center Road.

Bennett was dead at the scene from her injuries. A 17-year-old boy from Gibbstown who was driving the vehicle was seriously injured and taken to Cooper University Hospital.

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The driver of the other vehicle was a 27-year-old woman from Deptford. She was also injured and taken to Jefferson Hospital.

Swimmer, softball player, and a "beautiful person"

Bennett was a sophomore at Washington Township High School, according to district Superintendent Eric Hibbs and Principal Raymond Anderson.

She played softball and was on the high school swim team.

"Her warmth, kindness, and spirit touched the lives of many, and her presence will be deeply missed by students, teachers, staff, and all who knew her," Hibbs and Anderson said in a joint statement.

Bennett's mother, Mary Bennett, is an assistant at Whitman Elementary School.

School officials said the district had partnered with Care Solace to offer mental health services for students, staff, and their families.

Fundraisers for Sophia Bennett

A GoFundMe organized by a family friend raised passed its $10,000 goal as of 3:30 p.m. Monday. Another fundraiser for the Bennett family on Meal Train had raised over $1,250.

Friends and family shared memories on social media, calling her "the kindest soul."

Washington Township Mayor Laurie Burns mourned Bennett's passing in a statement on social media Sunday night.

"The passing of such a young life is an unimaginable sorrow, and we extend our sincerest condolences and support during this difficult time. As a community, let us come together to mourn, to support one another, and to honor the memory of this sweet child we lost too soon," said Burns.

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