Riley Strain.Photo:Metro Nashville Police Department
Metro Nashville Police Department
The disappearance of 22-year-old University of Missouri studentRiley Strain, whosebody was recoveredon March 22 from the Cumberland River several miles away from downtown Nashville, captured national attention. For Maryland-based attorneysJack Turnbull and Adele Brockmeyer, who are also parents of two children close in age to the college student, the case hit close to home.
In the wake of the tragedy, the couple, who have no connection with the case, postedTikTokvideos emphasizing an important message: “Never ever leave your wingman.”
“That’s when bad things happen,” Brockmeyer says in one clip.
“Whether you’re 15 or 55,” adds Turnbull, “whether you go into a bar, a concert, spring break, whatever it is, have a wingman and don’t leave your wingman.”
Turnbull and Brockmeyer have a son and daughter, ages 20 and 18 respectively. They recall a situation from last fall in which a high school girl who was visiting their son’s college last fall went missing for several hours until she was eventually found safe and secure.
“She just was there for a football game,” says Brockmeyer. “We happened to be there that weekend at his college. And so the Riley Strain case kind of just hit home.”
“At 9:35 p.m., our security team made a decision based on our conduct standards to escort him from the venue through our Broadway exit at the front of our building,” per the company’s statement. “He was followed down the stairs with one member of his party. The individual with Riley did not exit and returned upstairs.”
(L-R) Maryland attorneys Jack Turnbull and Adele Brockmeyer.Courtesy of Jack Turnbull and Adele Brockmeyer
Courtesy of Jack Turnbull and Adele Brockmeyer
Brockmeyer cites social media’s role in why some young people don’t want to seem to stick together when they go for a night out. “It just seems that social media has grounded into kids — young adults and even adults — that every night is the best night of their lives,” Brockmeyer says. “They don’t wanna miss a thing because they might not be in a photo that gets posted on a story or they’re not in that Snapchat photo.”
Adds Turnbull, “Then you wake up the next day and [wonder], ‘where is he?’ ”
Turnbull adds that age is irrelevant when it comes to solo nightlife outings.
“We all joke about women going to the bathroom together,” he says. “But there’s a reason they do that. It may be social, but it’s safe too if they’re in an unusual environment. That’s what we wanted to get through on the video is that it probably isn’t the best night of your life. It’s okay not to be in that Facebook photo or that Instagram post. Make sure your friend gets home alive.”
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Speaking only as a Maryland attorney, Turnbull says based on his brief review of Tennessee law that if one serves alcohol to an underage person or someone who’s visibly intoxicated, and that person ends up hurting someone or themselves, the provider of the alcohol could be held liable. “There are a lot of people that could be responsible,” Turnbull says. “I just couldn’t imagine waking up and being Riley’s parents.”
An investigation is ongoing.
Brockmeyer says that her college student son is proactive in making sure his companions are back home after an outing. “His friend group has [the family locator app] Life 360 on their phones and they all make sure each other gets home,” Brockmeyer says.
The couple says they always tell their children to be aware of their surroundings and don’t go anywhere alone. “With this lack of accountability that comes up because of this pressure of social media, [and] you throw youth and alcohol in the mix, it’s a tough quotient,” says Turnbull. “But if you don’t leave your wingman, there is a much better chance of getting through the night.”
source: people.com
