Janet . What started off as a case of a missing child is now a murder investigation. Police will be addressing many questions at the News Conference that is about to get underway. Back at the sketch the coroner was seen leaving this morning after spending hours on site along with investigator whose have been at the art center throughout the night and morning gathering evidence from the garage where the dumpster was located and where maddys body was found yesterday evening. They have been gathering evidence and what appears to be the suspects apartment on the third floor. That is where neighbors say the 15yearold teen lived with his family. Thestein in Police Custody being questioned in connection with the death of 8yearold. Many parents have been coming by to pay respects leaving a flower at the growing memorial in honor of maddy too close to home of a tragedy. You realize you have to be vigilant all the time. It is sad we have to live in a world where these things occur. You want to h
Involved, you know is brought to justice. Reporter the suspect is being held in the juvenile detention facility. The d. A. Says in cases like this it is possible to prosecute the suspect as an adult. They say that is something they are considering tonight. Reporting live in Santa Cruz Michele he roberts, nbc bay area news. Thank you. The story reaches well beyond santa cruz. Why did this happen and how can parents better protect their kids . We have some details now about the 15yearold suspect thought to be a trusted neighbor of maddy. Nbc bay areas Chuck Coppola is at the apartment complex in santa cruz with more. Chuck. Reporter raj, the boyfriend of the victims mother told me that the teen arrested was like a mentor to younger children here at the apartment complex, and there are a lot of them here. Some 50 kids live with their families here. You can see perhaps that is one reason why the memorial to maddy has grown so much in just one day. As parents now try to process that at leas
8yearold Maddy Middleton was discovered last night. The worst possible thing that could happen. Reporter neighbors who held out hope during the frantic 24hour search are now shocked to hear their 15yearold neighbor has been arrested for the crime. From what ive seen, hes like a normal kid. He hangs out with other normal kids and plays with his yoyo all day long. Its my belief that she was killed before we even got the phone call on sunday night. Reporter Santa Cruz Police chief kevin vogel says the 15yearold suspect lived in the building, an older kid who madly likely trusted. It appears she was lured to the suspects apartment willingly. Reporter investigators believe the teen killed maddy inside his familys apartment before moving her body to a recycle bin in the parking garage downstairs. The suspect was in close proximity to the recycle bin. And thats when we took him into custody. Reporter friends of the Middleton Family are angry. Police say the first hours of the investigation we
Well spoken. And has a very kind manner. So like i said, its shocking situation altogether. Its heartbreaking. The last time i stood in front of a group like this and spoke was when my two officers were killed. And it feels just like it did that night. Its terrible. Reporter that was police chief kevin vogel talking about the time two of his officers were gunned down 2 1 2 years ago. We did try reaching out to family members on both sides of maddy and that boy who was arrested. They didnt want to talk on camera. Back to you. Kiet, can you tell us where is the boy now and how did he know the young girl . Reporter the last time anybody saw that teenaged boy he was put in the back of a patrol car taken to the station for questioning. The Tannery Arts Center has about 200 people. A lot of people say its tight knit. But we didnt know the relationship between the suspect and victim. Live in santa cruz, kiet do, kpix 5. We spoke with marc klaas last night. His daughter polly was kidnapped and
Throughout the day. Outside right now, blue sky over the golden gate ridge. Clear and cold and downright freezing in santa rosa, 39 in san jose on 34 livermore and 35 in concord. A chilly start with increasing clouds and futures cast shows it clear with increasing clouds later and a couple of showers up north later this afternoon and feeling an overnight with scattered showers. Not a big rain event or huge rain totals but we will get showers through much of the day on monday before we dry out and we have a winter storm advisory and a Winter Weather ride Winter Weather advisory in effect tonight through monday morning. We will talk more about this between 28 inches of new snow. Here are the top stories. A party turn to chaos in new orleans when a suspected drunk driver plowed his truck into a mardi gras celebration leaving dozens injured. This parade draws thousands every year, one of the biggest parades leading up to the mardi gras celebration on tuesday. It came to a standstill when w