Community members left shocked by the death of 11-year-old Riya Rajkumar gathered at a park near the child鈥檚 Mississauga, Ont. school to grieve, lay flowers and show support for the girl鈥檚 family at a vigil held Saturday evening.
In nearby Brampton, where the girl鈥檚 father lives, neighbours remembered Riya as a happy, playful child who could often be found playing outside her father鈥檚 home.
鈥淥n a happy, sunny day like this, she should have been playing outside,鈥� Jyothi Cutinha told CTV Toronto. 鈥淚 think as a society, as a community, we need to ask ourselves questions on not how this happened, but why this happened.鈥�
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The Mississauga vigil was organized by a close friend of Riya鈥檚 mother who Friday.
鈥淭here are so many people who have been hurting from this angel鈥檚 loss, and no one needs our prayer and love more than Riya鈥檚 family at this time,鈥� read the post.
Peel regional police issued an Amber Alert for Riya shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday. She was allegedly abducted by her father after he took her out for her birthday earlier that afternoon. She was later found dead in her father鈥檚 Brampton home.
Abha Sharma, who lives in the home behind where Riya鈥檚 body was discovered, said she never expected something like this to happen.
鈥淓verything (seemed) normal. Even father-daughter relationship, when they were playing outside, it seems normal,鈥� she told CTV Toronto.
Following the Amber Alert, Roopesh Rajkumar鈥檚 car was spotted and he was apprehended by police in Orillia, Ont. The 41 year old has since been charged with first-degree murder.
Rajkumar remains in police custody in hospital.
Brampton city councillor Rowena Santos is . That vigil will take place between 5:45 p.m. and 7 p.m. "This is a time to come together in solidarity and remember and honour a young life," a notice about it read.
Neighbourhood Watch Brampton has offered their support for the grieving family by , which surpassed their initial goal of $2,500. The group said it will continue to accept donations.
Police have cordoned off the area where Riya鈥檚 body was found. But just outside the building, neighbours have built a makeshift memorial with heart-shaped balloons, flowers and teddy bears.
The items memorializing the young girl will be gathered to display at her funeral next week.
