Stirring Goodbyes, Strong Messages At Samantha Josephson Funeral

The sadness will never end. But for the family of Samantha Josephson, the fight for justice and fixing what is wrong with the world will not.

As the funeral was held for the 21-year-old New Jersey native on Wednesday, her grieving family had some strong words for her alleged killer and important messages to give as they addressed the need for rideshare safety (see videos below).

As the funeral services began, the family released a statement, saying they wanted to thank the University of South Carolina community, police and the many others who worked to "find the animal who took Sami from us."

"The sadness that is being sufffered will never end," according to the statement read by Seth Josephson, a cousin, outside Congregation Beth Chaim in Princeton Junction. "It may wane in the future but will always leave a hole in the hearts of a fun-loving, generous, kind parents and sister today."

"They don't know and can't contemplate how they can think of the future," according to the statement.

Family and friends were saying goodbye just days after the University of South Carolina student got into the wrong car – the car driven by the suspect, police say – that Samantha thought was her Uber ride.

In their statement, the family also called on the rideshare industry to do more to ensure the safey of its users and "take ownership of the fortune made by their customers."

"Education and laws need to be put into place to protect people and the rideshare industry," according to the statement. "With the millions of dollars it earns, the Ubers and Lyfts should be compelled to adjust their business model to better assure rider safety."

Uber, meanwhile, has released a statement, saying: "Everyone at Uber is devastated to hear about this unspeakable crime, and our hearts are with Samantha Josephson's family and loved ones. We remain focused on raising public awareness about this incredibly important issue." (story continues below the videos)

Here are videos showing the funeral proceedings outside of the temple on Wednesday:

The funeral was held at 12 p.m., with services at Congregation Beth Chaim at 329 Village Rd. East in Princeton Junction. Hundreds of people attended, observers said.

The burial was to follow at Perrineville Cemetery, 755 Perrineville Rd., in Perrineville. After the burial, Josephson family members were expected to sit Shiva, then visiting hours were to be held on Thursday after 3 p.m. and Sunday starting at 12 p.m. at the family's house.

A GoFundMe page was set up to raise money for the family, and more than $70,000 has been collected.

A vigil was held Tuesday night in Josephson's hometown of Robbinsville, where Samantha's father, Seymour, spoke through tears about how he wanted to make sure to thank the police officer who caught the accused killer, Nathaniel David Rowland, 25.

Samantha's boyfriend also spoke, saying he was tracking Samantha on his cell phone to make sure she got home safely.

Here is what we know about the case right now:

• The violence happened after Samantha mistakenly entered a black car in Columbia, SC early Friday that she thought was her Uber ride. Instead, police say, it was driven by her alleged killer. A chilling video also shows when Samantha Josephson entered the car:

• The Clarendon County, SC coroner determined Monday that Samantha was stabbed to death, saying she had "multiple sharp force injuries" when her body was found on Friday.
• Rowland chose not to attend the jail hearing on Sunday, more than 24 hours after he was arrested and charged with kidnapping and killing Samantha.
• Samantha went missing for hours before she was found more than 60 miles away, in Clarendon County, about 40 feet off a dirt road, police said.

Read more: The Wrong Car: Shocking Details Of Samantha Josephson's Death

New details also have emerged on Rowland, whose involvement in the crime shocked those who knew him, according to The Greenville News:

• Justin Waiters, who coached Rowland in Amateur Athletic Union basketball when Rowland was in ninth grade, and then again as his varsity basketball coach when Rowland was a senior at East Clarendon High School, said this about the suspect: "This doesn’t sound like the person we know and love."

• Waiters said Rowland was a "great kid" from a very involved family who would always help with summer fundraisers for basketball teams. He also said he was a hardworking and smart student and player whom he once picked as the team captain
• Waiters described Rowland as a "yes sir, yes ma’am" kid who was always respectful and pushed his peers to do their best. Rowland's father also told reporters, "I don’t feel like I raised a child like that."

Read more: Samantha Josephson's Cause Of Death Revealed; Chilling New Video

Born in Princeton, Samantha graduated from Robbinsville High School in 2015. Kathie Foster, superintendent of the Robbinsville School District, released a statement, saying: "Our hearts are heavy with grief and shock as we process the news of the sudden and tragic death of Samantha Josephson."

"On behalf of the Robbinsville Board of Education and entire school community, we want to extend our deepest sympathy and love to the Josephson family," Foster said. "Sami, a 2015 Robbinsville High School graduate, was a vibrant young woman with an infectious smile and a contagious laugh.

"Robbinsville is a strong, close-knit community and we will continue to find ways to care for and support our students, families, friends, staff, and community members as we hold the Josephson family in our hearts."

On the GoFundMe page, fellow Robbinsville classmates and friends expressed their shock. One person noted she tutored her in Math and Samantha had babysat her twins.

"She was such a sweet and caring girl," the person wrote. "I am completely devastated and am praying for her family."

Robbinsvile officials also took time out to salute the family, noting that her father, Seymour, "was like a big brother" to people when they played baseball together.

As parents, Mayor Dave Fried and others said, "This is just beyond my comprehension capabilities."

At USC, Samantha was majoring in political science, according to her obituary. She would have graduated in June and planned to attend Drexel University School of Law.

During a candlelight vigil in Columbia, SC later on Sunday, friends remembered Samantha as somebody who "had a personality and a presence that lit up a room, and everyone was automatically happier" when she was there.

Samantha's father appeared at the vigil, too, telling students: "I can't tell you how painful this is."

But he also used it as an opportunity to warn students about ride-share services and to use them properly.

Indeed, Uber, which has declined to comment, has a list of safety tips that advises people: "Get in the right car. Before you get in the car, check that license plate, driver photo, and driver name all match what's listed in the app."

Seymour and his family say they're going to work to let people know about ride-share service safety, saying they don't want anything like what happened to Samantha to happen to anyone else.

"Samantha was by herself. She absolutely had no chance. None," Seymour said in the CBS3 video shown below. "The door was locked. The child safety lock was on. She had absolutely no chance in this."

"If there's somebody else in the car, she actually has a chance."

Read more: Arrest Made: Samantha Josephson Of NJ, Missing USC Student, Dies