Teen Charged as Adult in Death of Eight-year-old Santa Cruz Girl
SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA – July 29, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) – A 15-year-old boy was charged as an adult on Wednesday in the murder of eight-year-old Madyson “Maddy” Middleton of Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell told the Los Angeles Times that he has charged Adrian Jerry Gonzalez with one count of murder with the “special circumstances that he kidnapped and sexually assaulted Maddy.”
Rosell said, “We are going to bring him (Gonzalez) to justice.”
Gonzalez allegedly lured Maddy to his family’s apartment on Sunday afternoon. No one else was at home when the boy is accused of assaulting and then killing Maddy.
On Monday afternoon, the eight-year-old’s body was found at the bottom of a local recycling bin that had already been searched by volunteers.
Gonzalez is expected to appear in court on Thursday afternoon. If convicted of the charges he faces, he could spend life in prison.
