This column originally appeared in The Sun Chronicle on Monday, March 2, 2015
AN INSIDE LOOK
By Bill Gouveia
As
the Assistant Town Clerk in Seekonk, Karen McHugh had to pay attention to
details. She had to notice the little
things and take care of them. It was a
big part of her job, and her job was important.
Now
Karen’s friends and family are counting on the good people of Seekonk who she
so faithfully served, and perhaps their friends and neighbors, to do their job. The mystery of her tragic death must be
solved and closure brought to those who loved her.
McHugh
was walking in front of her Seekonk home on Friday, January 30th, trying to get
to her house from her garage. The large
snow banks forced her to briefly walk on the edge of the roadway. Before she could reach the comfort and safety
of her home, she was hit by a passing car and killed.
According
to police, that car then continued along Arcade Avenue in Seekonk, heading
towards Taunton Avenue. It left behind
some glass, some smashed signal light lens cover material, and the broken body
of an innocent victim and dedicated public servant.
It has been
about a month now since local police began an intensive search for the vehicle
and driver involved in this horrible incident.
Despite their best efforts, the results have been discouraging.
Authorities
believe the car in question may have been a dark-colored General Motors
sedan. The lens they discovered could
possibly be from a 2004-05 Chevrolet Malibu Classic, a 1997-2005 Malibu, a
1997-99 Oldsmobile Cutlass, a 1997-98 Oldsmobile Achieva, a 1996 Chevrolet
Beretta, or a 1996 Chevrolet Corsica.
They also believe the vehicle would have some front-end damage, and a
broken directional signal or side marker.
So far both
the driver and the vehicle are unidentified.
But they are both out there somewhere.
Hiding perhaps, trying to stay out of sight and out of trouble. And somewhere, somebody knows something about
them – even if they don’t yet realize it.
While Karen
McHugh rests in a cold grave, the person who killed her is likely somewhere warm
and safe. While Karen’s family and
co-workers mourn her death and deal with their grief, that driver and any
passengers they may have had with them have to deal with knowing they must
either step forward, or look over their shoulder for the rest of their lives.
This was
probably a terrible accident. It is
doubtful the driver meant for this to happen.
Maybe they didn’t even realize it at first? Or maybe they were drunk and are now afraid
of the consequences?
Regardless,
they had no right to simply drive away and leave Karen McHugh bleeding on the
ground. They will be held responsible
for what they have done, in this world as well as the next.
Because you
see, somebody does know something.
Someone saw something. They may
not yet realize it, it may not have dawned on them yet – but it will. And then that person will talk to
authorities, and there will be no place for the hit-and-run driver to hide.
Maybe you
know someone who had a broken light recently.
Perhaps you know of someone who had a perfectly good car, then suddenly
didn’t have it. Maybe someone said
something strange about the incident, and you passed it off.
Perhaps you
saw what appeared to be an old burned-out car in the woods somewhere. Maybe you noticed a large mound someplace
where something large might have been buried.
Perhaps you saw someone unexpectedly donate or junk a vehicle.
You can
contact Seekonk police at (508) 336-8123.
You can make an anonymous report at (508) 336-7027, Ext. 9. You can write a letter, send an email. They will check any lead, appreciate any
help.
Karen
McHugh deserves to be at rest, as does her family. Her community is a close one, and they watch out
for one another. Her family will keep
searching, the police will keep searching, and people from Seekonk and beyond
will keep searching.
One of
those “little things” is going to fall into place
soon. That driver knows this. He or she should step forward now and stop
living a lie.
Karen
McHugh was important to her community, and that community will not rest until
she can.
Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and
longtime local official. He can be
emailed at aninsidelook@aol.com and followed on Twitter at
@Billinsidelook.
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