Family, Friends Remember Mass. Woman Killed in Carport Roof Collapse

(NECN: Josh Brogadir, Weymouth, Mass.) - Snow-covered roofs have been causing a lot of concern across New England, but in Weymouth, Mass., authorities have a death investigation on their hands after a woman was killed in a carport collapse Thursday.

Authorities say 29-year-old Jenna Flaherty was killed when a snow-covered carport roof collapsed and struck her.

"Tomorrow is promised to nobody. A young kid like that it's a shame," said James Coull, a friend.

He remembered Thursday the young woman he took care of through difficult times and who was doing better in her own recovery, never expecting this tragedy to find her.

"Just getting her back on the right track, doing the right thing. I was proud of her. I was coming down to take her to a meeting. I counsel kids with drug problems and she usually comes with me on Thursday nights."

Neighbor Rose Lanahan said, "I heard a very loud noise and that was the roof collapsing. And I got up and the ambulances were over there and that's it, I saw them take the girl out."

Flaherty, the mother of a 10-year-old son, was living with her grandfather and another man at their Harlem Road home in north Weymouth.

She stepped out of the house around 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

"The tragic incident was a result of the woman standing outside on a phone trying to talk to her grandfather to tell him there was something making some noise outside," said Jeffrey Richards, Weymouth building inspector.

The primary task of investigators with the Norfolk County District attorney's office is to figure out how much the heavy 4-6 inches of snow build-up contributed to the collapse of the roof. And to make sure this does not repeat itself elsewhere in town.

"It's not going to stop snowing. We have probably another whole month of it, and there's concern there. So yes, we need to look at our schools quickly and our town buildings and we're hoping our residents will do the same," said Weymouth Mayor Susan Kay.

Meanwhile, Jenna's family and her friends who were like family are trying to cope, unable to understand this.

"How freaky can that get. You know you walk outside and the roof collapses on you? All the crazy things we do in life, who figures something like that's going to happen here," said Coull.

Her smile, her laugh is what James will remember most.

Her boyfriend, who was distraught, said "You'd have to know her to see the light in her eyes."

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