Calif. girl, 8, found slain

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - A 15-year-old 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 for artists where they lived, authorities said Tuesday.

Santa Cruz Police Chief Kevin Vogel said that Madyson Middleton went willingly into the apartment and was probably dead even before she was reported missing Sunday evening.

The boy, who police say knew the girl as a neighborhood acquaintance, was arrested on suspicion of murder, Vogel said.

The police chief would not discuss a motive and declined to give details on the suspect's background or the manner in which the girl was slain.

Madyson's death has shaken the artists' community called Tannery Arts Center on the outskirts of this beach town. The center is a public-private nonprofit project that includes 100 affordable loft apartments for artists and their families, a cafe, and dance and art studios.

Santa Cruz, with a population of 62,000, is perhaps best known for its boardwalk and liberal politics. The community also has a large number of working artists.

Artist Kirby Scudder said people at the center are reeling. About 250 people live there, including 50 children who have grown up under the watchful eyes of all the parents. The suspect and his alleged victim knew each other, he said.

"We lost not one kid, but two kids over the weekend, and both parents are in an absolute state of shock," said Scudder, who described the suspect as admired, well-liked and well-rounded.

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

The suspect, 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.