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Fishers mother has warning for parents about study abroad programs

Her daughter fell and died in Myanmar
Posted at 9:14 PM, Mar 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-15 21:14:02-04

FISHERS, Ind. -- The mother of Cathedral High School graduate who died while studying abroad in last November has a warning for parents of children studying abroad.

Chalene Braun's 20-year-old daughter Kassie was studying with Semester at Sea. Chalene got a call that Kassie had been climbing a pagoda in Myanmar when it collapsed.

"The rocks, the actual pagoda gave way and she fell with it," said Chalene.

They tried taking Kassie to a hospital four hours away, but she died in the ambulance.

Kassie's mother says if she knew the closest treatment was that far away she wouldn't have let her daughter get off the ship.

"It's sad to me that somebody that was going to do so much good in this world and wanted to do so much is not going to get to do that," said Chalene.

PREVIOUS | Cathedral High School graduate Kassandra Braun dies on 'Semester at Sea' trip in Myanmar

Semester at Sea gives students a list of safety of precautions. Chalene has offered to work with the program to improve their emergency risk assessments and they welcome the partnership.

She also wrote a message on her Facebook page to parents and students of Semester at Sea Spring 2018, "I have often thanked Semester at Sea for my daughter's opportunity of a lifetime. But now I cannot, in good conscience, remain silent. I am here to share with you why your child is not safe."

You can read what else Chalene had to say in that Facebook post below: