Friends, family grieve after teen’s death in Cuba

They say they will not comment further on Sagriff’s death unless directed to by her family.

Family members issued a statement saying they’re focusing on bringing Sagriff’s body home as they wait for more answers about her death.

And a teen named as Sagriff’s boyfriend on her Facebook page is cautioning the public against jumping to conclusions based on incomplete information.

“Alex was not alone. The reports are false,” reads a tweet by a person with the same name as her boyfriend. “She was not found, she was in my arms. She was not alone.”

Neither that person nor any of Sagriff’s other friends immediately responded to requests for comment. But tributes to the recent high school graduate continued to surface days after her death.

Friends offered few details about Sagriff other than to describe her as someone who was “beautiful inside and out.”

“Rest in paradise Alex, not a day will go by without thinking of your beautiful, contagious smile,” wrote one Twitter user.

“Thank you for being an inspiration to my younger sister, I love and miss you,” wrote another.

Social media posts made in the days before her death indicate Sagriff had just graduated from St. Theresa Catholic Secondary School last month and was preparing to attend Loyalist College in the fall.

“You will do great things and make new friends along the way,” wrote her father in a congratulatory Facebook post. “Your kindness and easy going manner makes every (sic) want to be around you and enjoy the time spent with you!”

Sagriff’s family issued a statement indicating their primary focus was on returning Sagriff’s body home to Belleville and requesting privacy from the media. They indicated that they had very little information on her death.

Global Affairs spokeswoman Jocelyn Sweet said the Canadian government is also trying to gather information.

She said consular officials in Havana are working with local authorities to obtain more details while officials in Ottawa are in contact with the family.

She extended condolences to Sagriff’s family and friends, saying no more information could be released due to privacy concerns.

Messages of support also came from the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, which has set up counselling resources at Sagriff’s former high school.

Vacation organizer S-Trip said it dispatched its emergency response team to Veradero to oversee the situation and help co-ordinate the return of other students on the trip.

Michelle McQuigge, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Friends, family grieve after teen’s death in Cuba

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