CHESTERFIELD, Ind. —
Megan Rider came into this world early and left too early, her parents say.
The 25-year-old Chesterfield woman was always a bright child and did well in school, Ricky Rider and Dawndeena Hole recall. She was loving, giving and caring — and could be too trusting.
Megan died Feb. 13, 2011, after she was shot by ex-boyfriend Aaron Wagers, who then committed suicide. The two were living together at Ricky’s Chesterfield home. Wagers had been released from jail on bond in connection with child molestation charges about a week earlier. Ricky discovered the bodies early that morning.
Although they divorced when she was young, Megan’s parents had a good parenting relationship and shared memories of their daughter.
As Megan grew, her hair became curlier by the year until she finally had a full head of curls. Her parents said she was so proud of that hair, especially once she became a teenager.
Megan was shy as a middle school student but seemed to enjoy high school, particularly working as a mentor for special-needs students.
“I always knew she’d go into a field where she would help others,” her parents wrote to The Herald Bulletin. “At the time she was taken from us, she was working on going back to school for medical assisting.”
Megan was working for Aspire in a group home for adults with special needs, teaching them living skills. She loved the job’s rewards.
“(We were) extremely proud of her and knew she would accomplish a lot in her life,” Ricky and Dawndeena wrote. “The one thing (we) want others to know about her is that she was not stupid. She was just lied to and was way too trusting and believing in others.”
Growing up, Megan never gave her parents much trouble, though they joked she could be a “bit sneaky” at times.
“She was taken from us for absolutely no reason,” they wrote. “And we will all miss her until we meet up with her again someday.”
Megan graduated from Highland in 2004. She was a loving sister and aunt to her three nieces and nephew.
Faces of Domestic Violence
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Megan Rider
Discussion
Megan Rider: 'Too early'
Chesterfield woman killed by ex-boyfriend
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Who can stop domestic violence? You
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Legislation comes a long way, but more change needed
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Children affected by abuse too
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Domestic violence prevention is possible, expert says
Gender stereotypes are just one thing that Todd Cawthorn and five other speakers, during a 90-minute panel discussion Tuesday night, talked about that create an environment where domestic violence is accepted.
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Teens can be victims of domestic violence, too
Dating violence has been seen locally in relationships as young as sixth grade, Alternatives Inc. prevention specialist Todd Cawthorn said.
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Justice for victims
While a protective order is an important piece of the legal puzzle that domestic violence victims have to solve, Judge Stephen Clase stresses to each that it is, after all, “just a piece of paper.” “They won’t stop a knife or a bullet,” he said. “I tell them they need to be on guard at all times.”
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