Hailey Buzbee was excited about attending college and following her passions. The 17-year-old was a hard worker in every sense of the word, and she left a comforting impression on people who met her, even if they were only meeting her for the first and only time.
Before her disappearance made headlines, Buzbee was a Hamilton Southeastern High School student living what many would call a fulfilled life in Fishers, Indiana. She was an “amazing” big sister and daddy’s girl, with a beautiful smile that radiated in photos and videos. She worked as a server for a family-owned restaurant and was a member of the broadcast journalism team for her high school, Southeastern Media Network.
Buzbee, who was last seen by her parents on Jan. 5, was missing for 27 days when an update about her death in Ohio was shared by officials. Buzbee left her home in the early morning hours of Jan. 6 with a 39-year-old man, whom she met while online gaming, officials said. He is now jailed in connection with her disappearance and may face charges in her death.
Since her disappearance, a petition was created for Hailey’s Law, which advocates for a “Pink Alert” that would close a gap in how the state alerts others when someone is missing. The petition also seeks grooming awareness education in schools and has gathered over 79,000 signatures by the afternoon of Feb. 3.
“The changes we make together will be rooted in the love Hailey brought into the world during her time with us,” her father, Beau Buzbee, told IndyStar. “The love we have for her and the love she had for us is why we kept fighting.”
Hailey Buzbee, 17, had a passion for journalism
On Feb. 3, in a special edition of “The Royal Rundown,” hosted by Hamilton Southeastern High School students, media advisor David Young shared that Buzbee wanted to go into broadcast journalism.
“And her impact, while mostly behind the scenes as our director of news, was felt on every newscast,” Young said. “Hailey will not only be missed, but we wanted to take time to not only thank her and recognize the hard work that she had as part of our newscast every day, but also tell you how much she enjoyed keeping you informed and connected.”
Hamilton Southeastern Superintendent Pat Mapes said grief counselors would be available in the days ahead to help students.
That passion extended to her first job
Even at her after-school job at the family-owned restaurant, The Kitchen on Main in Fortville, the teenager leaned into communications, making solid connections with customers and employees.
The restaurant owner, Jason Ratliff, who shared a post about her online, told IndyStar it was meant to speak to the life of the person they knew. He called Buzbee a “wonderful young woman” who worked alongside his daughters and his family.
Buzbee lived on the other side of the county line in Fishers, but the restaurant was right around the corner from where she lived.
“I don’t know how she found us or even why or what made her want to work with us, but after interviewing her, I quickly realized she was a perfect fit.”
The teen even once interviewed him for a story focused on the importance of local community support.
In the post online, Ratliff shared that Buzbee had been working at the restaurant for nearly 16 months before her disappearance. Her father said it was her first job.
“Almost immediately, she captured the attention and support of her coworkers and customers,” the restaurant’s Facebook page shared, also referring to Buzbee as a “kind, generous young girl,” who went above and beyond for the job through thoughtful gestures like gift shopping and giving to neighboring businesses.
“Anyone who knew her could see she was bright, quick-witted, energetic, and full of life,” the post stated. “Hailey’s presence at the restaurant enhanced the atmosphere and the people who came in. She had a spotless record of service and customer satisfaction.”
In a post online, Beau Buzbee said his daughter wasn’t in a hurry to get her driver’s license, which makes him grateful because he’ll “always cherish their car rides home and conversations about her shifts.”
The father said he also was proud that his reserved daughter stepped “outside of her comfort zone” to become a server, he wrote in response to the post by the restaurant.
City and state officials remember Hailey Buzbee
Fishers City Hall is paying a special tribute honoring Buzbee, in a portrait on display that was painted by Fall Creek Junior High art teacher Shelley Feeney. The art teacher also taught Hailey, and according to the post, Feeney’s inspiration came from how Buzbee was remembered, vibrant and full of life.
Across from the portrait sits an empty canvas, where residents are encouraged to leave notes of support for the teen’s family.
“We hope you will take a moment to visit and honor Hailey’s life alongside us. Our thoughts remain with the Buzbee family and all who loved her,” the post said.
Speaking to hundreds of business and community leaders during the annual State of the City event, Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness ended his speech by talking about Buzbee on the afternoon of Feb. 3.
Attendees exited the Fishers Event Center with a photo of the teen projected onto screens on stage.
“Think about if you can make a little room in your individual bucket to find time to think about or pray or even take action to support Hailey and her family as they walk through this living hell,” Fadness said to attendees. “If we do that and we do that well, we as a group of people can be more than just a city but truly a community.”
Both Indiana Governor Mike Braun and Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith shared online that they’re focused on addressing legislation related to educating kids and teens about online grooming.
“No family should ever endure a loss like this,” Braun said. “This tragedy raises serious questions about how we better protect our kids in the digital age. Stronger tools for parents, including limits on social media and a more responsive alert system, are important.”
The governor said efforts are underway with Indiana State Police to close gaps in the alert system for missing or taken children. The law enforcement agency is in charge of issuing silver, blue and amber alerts, which have specific criteria needed to be issued.
Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formerly Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON. IndyStar Jake Allen contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Who was Hailey Buzbee? ‘Vibrant… kind’ with passion for journalism
Reporting by Jade Jackson and Jake Allen, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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