James Madison catcher Lauren Bernett during a NCAA softball game on Friday, May 28, 2021 in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP/WAVY) — The death of a James Madison softball star has been classified as an apparent suicide.
Rockingham County Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson says an investigation into Lauren Bernett’s death is continuing and an official report from the medical examiner’s office is pending.
JMU President Jonathan Alger and Athletic Director Jeff Bourne announced the death of the 20-year-old sophomore catcher from Pennsylvania in a news release.
The announcement of Bernett’s death came a day after she was named the CAA player of the week for batting .778 with seven RBIs and four runs in a three-game weekend sweep of Drexel that pulled JMU within a game of league-leading Delaware.
For additional support in the JMU area, please reach out to:
- Counseling Center, 540-568-6552
- Dean of Students Office, 540-568-6468
- Campus Crisis line after hours, 540-568-6552
- Sentara RMH Emergency Department, 540-689-1414
- Self-Help resources available through the University Counseling Center
- TAO mental health resource
- Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor
- Counseling Center’s Additional 24/7 Emergency Information
For information on programs, events, presentations and support groups the National Alliance on Mental Illness offers, click here.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-TALK.