Ashes Of 8-Year-Old Girl Brutally Murdered In California Stolen From Father's Car

The ashes of an 8-year-old girl, who was the victim in a 2015 murder in Santa Cruz, California, was stolen from her father’s car.

Maddy Middleton was reported missing on July 26, 2015 from her home in the Santa Cruz Arts Apartment complex where she lived with her mother. A search was initiated and her body was found in a recycling bin the next day.

According to Lt. Kelly Kent of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department, Maddy died of “positional asphyxiation,” or strangulation. The police also found stab wounds on her throat. Maddy’s death was ruled a homicide.

Adrian Jerry Gonzalez, 15, who was a neighbor of the family, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, one count of kidnapping and four sexual assault-related offenses. Santa Cruz Police Chief Kevin Vogel had said Gonzalez lured Maddy to his mother’s apartment while he was alone and killed her. He then carried her body downstairs and hid it in a recycling bin in the garage.

Police said Maddy willingly went to his apartment because she trusted him. According to Santa Cruz County Superior Court documents, Maddy was tied up and sexually assaulted. The criminal complaint revealed that Adrian used a weapon in the attack.

Maddy’s mother, Laura Jordan, said her daughter was badly beaten and stabbed. Jordan said Gonzalez never showed any signs of remorse.

“A.J. was asked if he wanted to apologize to me and he didn’t answer,” Jordan said. “He has never once written me a letter of apology or apologized in any form.”

Five years after Maddy’s tragic death, her ashes were stolen last week from her father’s car. The ashes were in an urn that the father had kept in the glove box in his car.

A complaint was lodged and the case was under investigation. The family said they just want the urn returned. It was unclear whether the stealing was intentional. Anyone with information was requested to contact the police.