Ciaya Jordan Whetstone, mysterious death leaves family with questions

AUGUSTA, Ga. - A woman’s mysterious Uber disappearance ends with her being found dead at a hospital.

New Orleans police say 21-year-old Ciaya Jordan Whetstone was dropped off at the hospital this past Saturday and was dead on arrival. She was last seen around 1 a.m. and was not heard from again until her appearance at the hospital.

The Orleans Parish County coroner said her death is considered unclassified and still under investigation.

Whetstone was a student at the University of New Orleans. We spoke to a relative about how she will be remembered.

“She was like this bright light in a dark place. She was always happy. She never met a stranger,” said Emily Carter.

That’s how her cousin Carter remembers Whetstone.

“That girl was so brave. If there was something that she wanted, she would go get it. I mean, she moved by herself from little swamp to New Orleans,” she said.

Carter is not just remembering her for her bravery, but also her personality.

It’s a sentiment echoed by other friends on social media who describe her as “one in a million,” “a person with a contagious personality,” “an absolute gem the world needed,” and a “ray of sunshine in the purest form.”

While the loss is painful, Carter says she is thankful for the outpouring of support.

“It makes me feel happy to know how loved she was, and it makes me happy to know that she impacted people so greatly,” she said.

While family and friends mourn someone they loved, they’re also left wondering what happened. Very little is known about the case.

“We don’t really know much of anything; I just want to know what happened to my best friend. That’s all any of us want. We just want answers,” she said.