It began as every parent’s worst nightmare — a child who simply doesn’t come home.

For nearly a week, the small town of Middlebury, Vermont held its breath as friends, professors, and police searched for 21-year-old Lia Smith, a bright student from Middlebury College who vanished without a trace.

“I just kept hoping they’d find her safe,” one local wrote. “No family should ever live this kind of fear.”

Search teams scoured forests, farms, and classrooms. Drones circled the sky. Students lit candles and whispered prayers. But on October 23, those hopes shattered when Lia’s body was found in a field near the college farm. Authorities later confirmed she had taken her own life.

Middlebury’s president, Ian Baucom, spoke through tears:

“As a parent, I ache for her family. This is a profound loss no one should endure.”

Lia was known for her kindness, intelligence, and courage — a swimmer, a coder, a friend who stood up for others.

Her story is more than a tragedy — it’s a quiet reminder that even the brightest among us can be silently hurting.

Tonight, many will scroll past her name. But some will pause — and remember to check on someone they love.