Authorities: California teen accused of killing 8-year-old

By Martha Mendoza and Janie Har, Associated Press

Tuesday, July 28, 2015 | 1:52 p.m.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — A teenage boy lured an 8-year-old girl into his apartment and killed her before hiding her body in a recycling bin at the housing complex where they lived, authorities said Tuesday.

Santa Cruz Police Chief Kevin Vogel told reporters that Madyson Middleton was probably dead even before she was reported missing Sunday evening.

Federal and local law enforcement searched the area surrounding the complex Sunday night and throughout Monday before finding the girl's body that night.

A 15-year-old boy, who police say knew the girl as a neighborhood acquaintance, was arrested on suspicion of murder, Vogel said.

The boy, whose name is not being released because he is a juvenile, was nearby when the body was discovered, and officers found evidence in the apartment that links him to the slaying, the police chief said.

Madyson willingly went to the apartment. A motive has not yet been released, Vogel said.

Prosecutors are considering bringing charges against the boy as an adult, Santa Cruz District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell said.

The girl's disappearance has shaken the unique artists' community called Tannery Arts Center on the outskirts of this small beach town.

Santa Cruz, with a population of 62,000, is perhaps best known for its boardwalk and liberal politics, and it's not unusual to see unaccompanied children out and about.

On Tuesday morning, the trash-collection area where Madyson's body was found remained roped off. Visitors stopped at a walkway memorial to pay respects with candles, bouquets of flowers and stuffed animals.

"My staff was so hopeful we were going to find her alive. And when the news came last night that she was not alive," Vogel said, "it was horrible."

Hundreds of volunteers had searched surrounding areas to look for Madyson, who was last seen Sunday afternoon. She had been seen riding her new Razor scooter in the courtyard, but around 5 p.m., her mother realized she was gone.

Police twice conducted a door-to-door search of the entire apartment complex, as well as a homeless shelter across the street. Vogel said he did not know if the boy's apartment was immediately searched, but they believe the girl was killed before they got a call.

Officers discovered the body on a second, more thorough search of the complex, Vogel said.

Beyond the 8-acre property, searchers from throughout the state used boats, helicopters, bikes and cameras in their efforts.

Authorities used dogs to search nearby woods and parks and the San Lorenzo River levee. Helicopters scanned the forest and the coastline, and the Coast Guard surveyed the ocean 2 miles from where she was last seen.

The Tannery Arts Center where the girl lived is a public-private nonprofit project that includes 100 affordable loft apartments for artists and their families, a cafe and dance and art studios.

Associated Press Writer Kristin J. Bender contributed to this report. Associated Press Photographer Ben Margot contributed reporting from Santa Cruz.