Friday, a balloon release was held to honor 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, a girl whose life was senselessly taken just over a month ago.
There were smiles, hugs and cries from nearly everyone in attendance as friends and family wrote messages to Jocelyn on green and red balloons before releasing them into the skies.
“It’s been very, very hard past few weeks,” Alexis Nungaray, Jocelyn’s mother, said. “Every day still doesn’t feel real, everyday it’s hard to grasp that this is my new reality.”
The balloons were released amid sentiments that justice would be served.
“Jocelyn wasn’t just a random girl, she was a very loved girl who had a lot of potential,” Kelvin Alvarenga, Jocelyn’s grandfather, said.
Franklin Pena, 26, and Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, are the two men accused of killing Jocelyn back in June. They have been charged with capital murder. Her family is hoping that Jocelyn’s story will lead to a change in Texas law.
“Jocelyn’s Law,” aims to automatically deny bail to suspects in capital murder cases. Notable Texas politicians, including Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, have advocated for the new legislation.
The family added that they plan to be at every court appearance for Pena and Martinez-Rangel, and they won’t rest until Jocelyn’s Law is passed.