The 17-year-old prom queen found shot dead in her bedroom a week before she was scheduled to graduate from a New Jersey high school was remembered as a vibrant, loving young woman at her funeral in a church near her hometown Wednesday.
Hundreds gathered a day earlier at Christian Pentecostal Church of Christ in Irvington for the wake of Aquilla Flood, whose body was found in her family's East Orange apartment a week ago. Her funeral was held at the same church, and hundreds of mourners again attended to say their goodbyes.
"It's sad, we're all in mourning, as you can see, all the people that are here, that love her," said Beth Robinson, one of Flood's teachers at Campus High School. "And we're just here to support her family and support her."
Flood, who was voted prom queen by her peers, was looking forward to graduating this weekend, family and friends said. She planned on going to college.
Her mother found her body.
One of Flood's friends said at her funeral that she was a precious angel who was respectful, lovable and helped anyone in need.
"She was a bright young lady; it's so sad that it had to come to this," the friend said.
Authorities said Monday they arrested Flood's ex-boyfriend, 18-year-old Al-Muqqadin Means, in connection with her death. He has been charged with murder and is due in court in Newark Thursday.
Information on an attorney for him wasn't immediately available.
