Funeral held in Houston for 12-year-old girl whose body was found in creek

HOUSTON (AP) — A 12-year-old Texas girl found dead in a creek not far from her home was remembered Thursday for her love of reading and animals.

Among those in attendance at Nungaray’s funeral were Houston Mayor John Whitmire, a Democrat, and Cecilia Abbott, wife of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

“We are saddened but we are outraged and angry that this is happening in our community,” Whitmire, who was elected in December, told mourners. “We will follow this case through the criminal justice system.”

Jocelyn’s body was found in a creek on June 17. A medical examiner concluded she had been strangled. Police say she had run away from home the night before. Prosecutors have charged two Venezuelans who entered the United States illegally with capital murder, and Republicans have used the death to highlight what they see as President Joe Biden’s failed immigration policies.

Jocelyn’s grandfather, Kelvin Alvarenga, said earlier this week that his granddaughter’s death could have been avoided if the country’s immigration system had been “rebuilt.”

Texas Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was also at the service for Jocelyn. Greg Abbott and Patrick are harsh critics of Biden’s policies.

Numerous studies have shown that immigrants are less attracted to violent crime than native-born citizens. A report published by the National Academy of Sciences, based on data from the Texas Department of Public Safety from 2012 to 2018, indicates that native-born U.S. residents were more than twice as likely to be arrested for crimes. violent crimes that people residing illegally in the country.

At a funeral home service Thursday, Jocelyn was remembered as a girl with a bright smile who loved animals, the TV series “Stranger Things,” Harry Potter and baking. She also had eclectic tastes in music: One of her favorite songs, the early 1960s hit “Coney Island Baby” by The Excellents, was played as mourners watched a slide show.

“I will always remember her big, beautiful smile and her beautiful, bright eyes, and her beautiful curls,” said Julie Gonzales, Jocelyn’s great-aunt. She said Jocelyn was sweet and reserved, and would head “straight” to the book section wherever they went.

Venezuelan nationals Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26, are each being held on $10 million bail in Harris County Jail in Houston. The two men were arrested earlier this year near El Paso by the U.S. Border Patrol after entering the country without papers. Both were released and summoned to appear in court at a later date. The Associated Press left telephone messages Thursday evening with attorneys listed for both men.

Prosecutors say Martinez-Rangel and Peña Ramos lured the girl under a bridge and stayed there with her for more than two hours. They say the defendants took off her pants, tied her up and killed her before dumping her body in the creek.