Family, friends seek help cleaning Carlie Brucia’s memorial garden

Cleaning up Carlie Brucia’s memorial garden

Kimberly Kuizon reports

SARASOTA, Fla. - Beauty blooms from tragedy at a Sarasota memorial garden dedicated to 11-year-old Carlie Brucia. "Our community needs to remember what happened to Carlie,” explained Cheri Langworthy, a family friend. “They need to know that, so it doesn't happen to anybody ever again. To keep our children safe."

Brucia’s body was found in a field behind a church off Procter Road just days after she was abducted in 2004. After her killer was placed behind bars, her family and friends built a garden in her honor.

"You feel peaceful because you know she’s at peace. It’s sad, but yet you feel peace," Langworthy said.

But over the past 16 years, time and weather have taken a toll. The garden trellis is splintered, weeds are overgrowing and trespassers have left their mark.

"Somebody vandalized this beautiful fountain,” Langworthy pointed out. “Why somebody would want to do that? I don’t know.”

For the past several weekends, Brucia’s cousin has been driving to Sarasota from Kissimmee to take care of the garden along with Langworthy and their husbands. However, their lists of things to do continues to grow and it’s far too much for four people to do alone. They are asking for the community to help clean up the garden on Saturday, February 22, at 6 a.m. It’s located at 6221 Proctor Road, Sarasota.

They expect the clean-up to last into the afternoon.

Langworthy hopes the community will step in like they did in the past. "Put some time grab a rake or shovel or something and come and lend a hand, we appreciate anything they can do," Langworthy said. “To work together to keep Carlie's memory from fading. Don't forget, just don’t forget her. It’s just too important."