SANTA CRUZ — Laura Jordan recalls the scene vividly.
It was only hours after 15-year-old Adrian Jerry Gonzalez made his first court appearance in the slaying of 8-year-old Madyson “Maddy” Jordan Middleton, Jordan’s daughter.
Jordan heard crying near the memorial for her daughter at the Tannery Arts Center courtyard. There, in front of dozens of bouquets, loving cards, stuffed animals and candles, she saw Reggie Factor, Gonzalez’s mother, on her knees, inconsolable. Factor wailed, cried to God and screamed that her son was a bad boy, a terrible boy, Jordan said. Why hadn’t anyone told her? How could she not have known?
Jordan knelt next to her, placed a hand on her back, and held her close. “I love you, I don’t blame you,” she said she repeatedly told Factor. “It’s not your fault.”
Two friends, two mothers, forever tied by one heinous act that cut straight to the heart of the tight-knit arts community in Santa Cruz.
Gonzalez is facing charges including murder, kidnapping and sexual assault. He has not entered a plea, and his next hearing is set for Sept. 21.
In her first interview since Madyson was discovered dead last Monday in a recycling bin at the apartment complex, Jordan told stories Saturday night about her daughter and praised the community for the support she has received.
But for all the love and support coming Jordan’s way, she is sending as much as she can to Factor.
“I just love her, and we both lost our children that day. That’s the tragic truth,” Jordan said. “I don’t fault her.”
Jordan has spent only passing minutes alone since she reported her daughter missing on July 26, a friend always nearby. A week later — now with “handlers,” as they call themselves — she’s exhausted, hoarse and perpetually on the edge of tears, alleviated only occasionally when remembering a story about Madyson or seeing a touching memorial.
“I used to say she was like 3½ kids in one,” Jordan said with a now-rare smile and a flower tucked over her ear. “She had so much energy. Endless energy.”
“I just love her, and we both lost our children that day. That’s the tragic truth,” Jordan said. “I don’t fault her.”
rubato said it
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts
TPFKA@W wrote:In a couple of ways he is much like head girl. He absolutely has to control, he is a major control freak, blah blah giggity giggity goo....
People who are control freaks often put individuals on ignore because they are unable to control them. They can't bear to see some individual's posts because it is a reminder that they are unable to change another person's way of thinking. Further, control freaks often feel that others are stalking them because they are so self absorbed that they think everyone else is as interested in them as they are.
Last edited by Joe Guy on Tue Aug 04, 2015 12:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
