Madyson Middleton Missing, Assumed Dead As Body Is Found In Dumpster: Local Teen Arrested
Madyson Middleton had gone missing on Sunday afternoon after the 8-year-old vanished from surveillance at the California apartment complex where she lived with her mother. Authorities believe she may have been murdered and left in the dumpster near the Tannery Arts Center, and a local teen is being blamed.
Due to his status as a minor at the age of 15, the boy’s name has not been released, but it is believed that he raped and strangled young Middleton, and disposed of the body. Much like Madeleine McCann, though, the body has not been clearly identified as that of the missing girl.
In the case of the Australian toddler, the body found in the suitcase did not turn out to be who the press had thought, and McCann is still missing.
Middleton’s mother has gone on record as saying that the last she saw of her daughter was around 4 p.m. on Sunday, when she had been riding her new scooter around the neighborhood. After her mother, Laura Jordan, had lost track of Middleton, she had spawned a massive search involving police helicopters and volunteers, according to Web Pro News. Monday night was when Madyson Middleton’s missing body was allegedly found by detectives.
However, Santa Cruz Police Chief Kevin Vogel has stated that the body has not yet been identified, according to MSN.
“We haven’t positively identified her yet but we believe she is probably Madyson Middleton.”
Middleton is 50 pounds with brown hair and dark eyes, and was last seen in a purple dress with black leggings and flip flops, wearing a black helmet.
Do You Think Name of 15yo Accused Should Be Released? “Body found in trash believed to be missing 8yo girl” https://t.co/SHgSZkTFwx
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) July 29, 2015
The apartment complex where Madyson Middleton went missing is a non-profit shelter for art students run by the John Stewart Company. Stewart, the chairman, had handed over surveillance footage to the authorities in the search for young Middleton.
Police believe they may have found the girl, but until the body is identified, the search isn’t over. The teen arrested was said to be seen in the area around the same time Middleton had gone missing.
[Image via CBS San Francisco]
