3 Young People, Killed By New Jersey Trains This Past Week

One just wanted everybody around her to be happy. Another was planning to go Texas to help with the hurricane recovery. Yet another was only a sophomore at Princeton High School.

Now all three are gone, killed by trains in New Jersey within the past seven days. All that's left are memories of their spirit, and a sense of helplessness from friends and loved ones.

Friends ask, in each case: How could this have happened?

"She was a beautiful soul. Her bubbly personality lit up every room she entered," said Tiffany Richardson of Bedminster, who went to school with one of the three victims, Yairina Quiros of Hillsborough.

Quiros, 19, was was struck and killed by a train in the Bound Brook area on Tuesday after it departed New York Penn Station, according to NJ Transit. No injuries were reported aboard the train that was carrying about 100 people, authorities said. Read more: Hillsborough Teen Killed In Train Crash: Authorities

Two others who died were:

• Ethan Cullen, 25, of Hightstown was struck and killed in the Princeton Junction area on Saturday night. The train was heading from Miami to New York when Cullen was struck, according to an Amtrak spokesman. Read more here...
• A Princeton High School student was struck and killed by an Amtrak in the same area on Thursday night. School officials communicated the news about the 15-year-old’s passing to parents in a letter this week. Read more here...

Amtrak and NJ Transit said they could not confirm what led to any of the deaths.

Cullen described himself on Facebook as a graduate of Hightstown High School who attended Rutgers University. One friend, Garry Destin, said he was "speechless" about the news, adding he and Cullen had planned to go to Texas to help after Hurricane Harvey devastated the area.

Indeed, Destin took to Facebook to display pictures of Cullen and other friends engaging in community activities, some with American flags waving in the background.

Richardson remembered Quiros for being there for her "no matter what. She filled my days with laughter and happiness. Even when we were doing nothing at all, Yairina knew how to turn it into a great time."

They became friends during freshman year and attended Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School. Quiros was described as a promising student at the Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School's alternative program, Technical Occupational Preparation for Success, according to nj.com.

"She was adventurous and hilarious and never wanted anything but for everyone around her to be happy and have a good time," Richardson told Patch.

Amtrak also confirmed the Thursday death of the 15-year-old boy from Princeton, and school officials broke the news in a letter to parents.

"We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of our 10th grade students. We have shared this news with the students this morning in first period class and have set up counseling stations to support both students and staff.

"Our thoughts are with the student's family, friends, and everyone affected by this tragic loss," the letter said.

Photo courtesy of Tiffany Richardson