ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) - A family still mourning the loss of their 13-year-old son is facing fresh heartbreak after his roadside memorial was vandalized over the weekend.
Norma Tapia made the devastating discovery Sunday morning at the memorial site for her son Junior.
"I felt destroyed," Tapia said.
Junior was killed while riding in a car driven by his sister's boyfriend, who now faces charges including driving under the influence. Junior’s sister survived the crash. The trial is set to begin in September.
The community had rallied around the Tapia family following the tragedy. The San Diego Padres donated signed items that were buried with Junior, who was a loyal fan of the team. His visitation was held on the little league fields he used to play on.
"He left with all that love from community," Tapia said.
A roadside memorial near North Broadway and Country Club Lane was established with permission from the local HOA, both to honor Junior's memory and to raise awareness about drunk driving.
"He was so young, full of life. Smiles in the pictures tell you everything," Tapia said.
"A remembrance to not drink and drive," she added, explaining the memorial's purpose.
Family members had been regularly maintaining the memorial, visiting every few days. But on Sunday, they discovered it had been vandalized, with fresh flowers ripped apart, a light broken and nearly everything tossed aside.
Two other memorials nearby, erected after a different crash nearly 5 years ago, were also damaged.
"Disgraceful, ignorant. The people who did this don't care, don’t have a heart," Tapia said.
Tapia plans to file a police report in hopes of identifying those responsible for the vandalism.
When asked why she wants to speak with the vandals, Tapia responded, "To see why they did this. So they don't do it again. We just want him to be remembered."
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