Former Kenwood Student Found Dead In Lansing Apartment
Updated 01/25/16 - 11:17 a.m.
(CBS) -- Students at Kenwood Academy High School on Monday were mourning a former classmate who was found dead in south suburban Lansing, amid many unanswered questions.
Summer Mithcell, 18, left school after her junior year to live with her boyfriend in Lansing. She decided to take online courses, and kept in touch with classmates at Kenwood.
Mitchell was living in an apartment in the 17700 block of South Commercial Avenue, where her body was found Sunday afternoon. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:27 p.m.
Police were waiting for forensic evidence and autopsy results to determine the cause of death, but her family has said they suspect Summer's boyfriend shot her after the two got into an argument.
Summer's family said she got into an argument with her boyfriend about driving her car and staying out late.
Her boyfriend has not been located, but Summer's family said he took off in her car. Police have only said they are conducting a death investigation, and have not ruled the case a homicide. They also said they are not actively pursuing the boyfriend, but his whereabouts remain uncertain.
Summer's stepmother, Lasaunya Mitchell, said when her stepdaughter left high school and moved in with her boyfriend, it was a blow to the family.
She said her stepdaughter was "a strong willed child. She did it, but I know she was smart. She know not to get pregnant. She know not to do this."
Summer's father, Calvin Mitchell, pleaded with his daughter's boyfriend to turn himself in.
"You can't run forever. Just turn yourself in. Don't hide. Hiding's not going to get you nowhere, because you will be found," he said.
Mitchell's stepmother said she learned about her daughter from the boyfriend's mother, who called Sunday to say she found Summer face-down in the apartment.
Summer's parents said she was a sweet person, with everything going for her.
"She's a great person, and a great spirit. This was the wrong life for him to take. She had a contribution to give to society. She wasn't a bad kid," she said.
Monday morning, Summer's former classmates at Kenwood remembered her as a kind young lady who aspired to be a police officer.
"She was a beautiful intelligent young lady; outgoing, smart, had everything going for herself," Summer's best friend Asia Meghie said.
The family said they believe Summer's boyfriend took off in her gold Grand Am. He hasn't been seen since her body was discovered.
"If you didn't have anything to hide, you would at least still have been there, and talked to the authorities out there. You have information that can close this case, whether or not you were inside of there, but if you're staying away, then it's a lot of information you're withholding," said her uncle, community activist Andrew Holmes.
