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Jocelyn Nungaray: Houston community mourns 12-year-old, pleads for justice

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Published  June 21, 2024 9:02pm CDT
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 26 Houston

Vigil held for 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray

The Houston community gathered with family and friends to honor the lie of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray. FOX 26's Jonathan Mejia attended the vigil and has more on how she's being remembered.

HOUSTON - Family, friends, and community members gathered Friday evening to honor the life of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, remembered for her caring spirit and love for animals. The community paid tribute to the young girl's goofy personality and also called upon the justice system for action.

Amidst the outpouring of support, Jocelyn's mother, Alexis Nungaray, was overwhelmed with gratitude. "I’m just very blessed and thankful for everyone to be here, it’s very hard to be here," she remarked through tears.

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In a message to her absent daughter, Alexis reflected, "You said no one cared about you; look at all the people that are here. They care about you."

Houston Mayor John Whitmire, alongside officials from the Houston Fire Department and members of the Police Department, joined in the evening's commemoration. The show of solidarity from city leaders highlighted the significant impact of Jocelyn's life on the community.

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Chief Larry Sattiewhite spoke to the tragedy, asserting, "When you have such an innocent child that loses her life so horribly in this situation, this isn’t an all-end for us; it’s everything we've got."

Mourners wore black, maroon, and forest green, mirroring Jocelyn's favorite colors, while reminiscing about her hobbies, which included reading and playing the cello. "Forever 12, she will never be a teenager. She’ll forever be 12," her mother lamented.

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Jocelyn's death has captured the nation's attention, a fact that was not lost on her family. Her grandfather, Kelvin Alvaranga, commented on the legacy she leaves: "It’s amazing. One thing I told my daughter [Alexis] to keep in mind is everything that we see here is to show that Jocy didn’t realize how much impact she had on all of us."

As the vigil concluded, the emphasis shifted to the judicial response, with the mayor and Jocelyn's family highlighting public expectations for justice to be served.