River Nevaeh Goddard was a nonbinary, pansexual 17-year-old from Rhode Island whose story must be told. On April 5th, they were found dead in Stow, Massachusetts, at the home of their 20-year-old boyfriend, who has been charged in connection with their death. River went by both River and Nevaeh, and used they and she pronouns.
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River’s life has been memorialized by Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents, who first reported River’s nonbinary identity: River is being remembered as a friendly, kind-hearted person. Their social media content up until December 2023 intertwines fun group photos with family/friends with memes urging support for people living with mental illness and addiction. They shared fundraisers. They shared art. River often changed their hair color.
According to their obituary: ‘She had an amazing, outgoing personality. She was very creative and artistic. She loved to write her own music. Her cuddly nature was only matched by her quick wit and goofiness.’”
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What is known about River’s life is that it was full of challenges, and River did not receive the help and support they, like all young people, deserve. River was sent to live with their grandfather after their mother gave birth to them while serving a prison sentence. They grew up in and out of foster care after fleeing abuse at home. River reportedly suffered from mental health challenges and was missing for at least two years before being discovered earlier this month.
“We are absolutely heartbroken to hear of the death of another nonbinary teenager, River Nevaeh Goddard,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “Too often, young people, and LGBTQ youth in particular, are failed by the adults and systems entrusted to protect them, and do not feel they have anywhere to turn in times of crisis. Our leaders and our communities must do better. Politicians must stop dangerous anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and legislation that fan the flames of hate and violence. Educational and other government leaders must truly earn the title ‘leader’ and do everything in their power to ensure that all youth, including trans and nonbinary youth, have the love and support they need to thrive at home, at school, and in their communities.”
Ellis also urged media reporting on River’s life and death to respect River’s identity and explore how their identity may have factored into River not receiving adequate support throughout their life: “Media coverage of River’s senseless death must explore the lack of support too many LGBTQ youth experience and how we all can do better for our most vulnerable and marginalized young people. River Nevaeh Goddard was failed in life, and it’s up to all of us to make sure we don’t fail them, or any other LGBTQ youth, now.”
Media coverage of River’s senseless death must explore the lack of support too many LGBTQ youth experience and how we all can do better for our most vulnerable and marginalized young people. (5/6)
— Sarah Kate Ellis (@sarahkateellis) April 22, 2024
Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents marks River Nevaeh Goddard as the 12th transgender person to die as “victims of the campaign of terror” in 2024, which includes Nex Benedict, an Indigenous nonbinary 16-year-old from Oklahoma.
If you are in crisis, please reach out for help:
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- Rainbow Youth Project: Call (317) 643-4888