Laura Jordan, the mother of the 8-year-old Santa Cruz girl who was murdered in July, is doing her best to ensure her daughter’s Oct. 5 birthday is still a huge celebration.
To honor Madyson Middleton, who would have been turning 9 on Monday, Jordan will be hosting an elaborate birthday party with jump houses, a petting zoo, food trucks and sweet treats, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Children from all over Santa Cruz are welcome to attend the party at Harvey West Park from 4 to 7 p.m., the newspaper also reported.
In August, at the girl’s memorial, Mayor Don Lane of Santa Cruz proclaimed Oct. 5 “Maddy Middleton Day.” Jordan is hoping that adding an annual event will further serve to honor her daughter and also help other children deal with loss or grief.
“This is going to be all about fun and support for the kids,” Jordan told the Sentinel. “I want this to be like she’s still with us, and wants us all to be happy.”
Middleton’s death was a shock to the artists’ housing complex where she and her mother lived.
Adrian Gonzalez, a 15-year-old boy who also lived in the complex, is facing adult felony charges of murder, rape and other sexual assault related offenses in relation to Middleton’s death. He pleaded not guilty in late September and is ordered to appear in court again Oct. 29.
