Mariah Witherspoon {courtesy famiily}
By Kevin Deutsch
A 14-year-old Margate Middle School student died from an unexpected medical issue Saturday, and her mother is raising money to help pay for the teen’s funeral.
Mariah Witherspoon, an honor roll student repeatedly recognized for her accomplishments at the STEM magnet school, was brought to a hospital during a medical emergency, but doctors could not save her, according to her mother, Bettie Holt.
Holt started a GoFundMe fundraiser to help raise money to pay for her daughter’s funeral service. As of Tuesday afternoon, the campaign had raised $1,345 toward its $7,000 goal.
Margate Middle School posted a link to the fundraiser on its Twitter page, along with a short tribute: “Sleep in Peace Mariah.”
Holt asked that the medical issue that led to her daughter’s death be kept private.
“She was loving, caring; she would do anything for you,” Holt of Margate told Margate Talk on Tuesday. “She was the greatest child you could ever ask for. She was exceptionally smart and outgoing; she loved to fish and swim … Mariah was the one who took care of us; we just provided for her financial needs.”
Holt said her daughter loved music and fashion. She wanted to become a nurse while doing hairstyling on the side.
“Beautiful, smart, funny, loving, so talented [and] very caring,” Holt wrote of her daughter on Facebook. “My whole world is crushed … a great child that had so many plans. Everything was cut short. Words can’t describe the hurt and pain we are suffering from this horrible tragedy.”
“She touched so many people,” Holt wrote. “She is my biggest blessing … The pain I feel is indescribable. I love you, Mariah; I’m so proud of you.”
Mariah is survived by her mother, father, and three brothers.
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Author Profile
- Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning crime journalist and author. A graduate of Florida International University, Kevin has worked on staff at The Miami Herald, New York Daily News, and The Palm Beach Post.
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