Town, family say goodbyes to slain girl
ORANGE PARK, Fla. (AP) – The family of slain 7-year-old Somer Thompson is preparing to put the girl to rest, a week after she vanished in north Florida on her way home from school.
A viewing was scheduled in Orange Park from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, followed by a Tuesday morning funeral. After the final services, thousands of purple balloons will be launched from First Baptist Church of Orange Park.
A private burial and graveside service will follow at Jacksonville Memory Gardens.
Authorities have investigated some 1,200 leads in the hunt for Somer’s killer. Her body was found in a south Georgia landfill two days after she disappeared.