'She Was So Bright': Parents Mourn Loss Of 16-Year-Old Killed In Washington Co. Crash

Green Country parents are devastated after their 16-year-old girl was killed in a car crash near Ochelata last Wednesday. Shannon Suter’s family said she was funny, caring, and loyal.

Monday, July 24th 2023, 9:12 pm

By: Kaitlyn Deggs

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Okla. -

Green Country parents are devastated after their 16-year-old girl was killed in a car crash near Ochelata last Wednesday.

Shannon Suter’s family said she was funny, caring, and loyal. Suter’s family said her nickname was Shannon Sunshine and no one had a bad thing to say about her.

They said as hard as this has been, they are grateful for all the support.

Shannon died last week in a car crash in rural Washington County just east of Ochelata. The crash also killed 17-year-old Kiana Johnson.

Shannon’s family is now doing what they can to process the fact she’s gone.

"It's literally the worst thing that can happen,” said Nick Suter, her father. “And I try not to do what-ifs, so I just kind of try to believe that, when it's your time, it's your time."

Shannon’s family said they’ve learned in the past week just how many lives she touched.

"She was just a really good person that helped a lot of people,” said Fawn Suter, her mother. “And that's what's helping us get through, is hearing all the stories of how she impacted everyone. So at least, her life was taken too soon, but it wasn't a waste because she touched so many people."

Her parents said Shannon was the kind of kid who would sit with someone who might be sitting alone at lunch and invite them to join her friends.

"To know her is to love her,” said Fawn. “She welcomed anyone, no matter who they were. She always treated everyone the same.”

Her dad said he had no regrets, because he told Shannon he loved her as much as he could.

"I keep telling myself she was like an angel that was here, because she was so bright and so caring and so nice to everybody, and touched so many people; that it was like God said, 'you did what you need to do on Earth, and it's time to come home,'” said Nick.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is investigating what caused the crash.

In addition to the two girls who were killed, four others were injured.