Community to honor slain girl by howling at blue moon
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -The mother of an 8-year-old Santa Cruz girl who was murdered earlier this week has invited the community to howl at the blue moon in honor of her daughter, who loved wolves.
Friday's full moon is the second full moon in July. Whenever two full moons occur in the same month, the second one is considered "blue."
The "Howl for Maddy" event starts at 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Tannery Arts Center.
Police say 15-year-old neighbor Adrian Gonzalez lured Madyson "Maddy" Middleton into his family's apartment from a courtyard at the Tannery where they both lived and killed her. Police say he dumped her body and was arrested near the recycling bin where the body was discovered, possibly watching investigators search.
Gonzalez is being tried as an adult on murder, kidnapping and rape charges.
Santa Cruz has mourned the girl all week. "Remember Maddy" and "We love you Maddy" signs were posted around the city.
Police haven't said how Madyson was killed.
Santa Cruz police chief Kevin Vogel said that murder has been a "horrific, horrific experience for the family as well as for our entire community."
"My staff was so hopeful we were going to find her alive," Vogel said. "When news came last night that she was not alive, it was horrible."