Counselors help grieving students in Santa Cruz
The death of Maddy Middleton at the suspected hands of a 15-year-old neighbor has the Santa Cruz community in shock.
It’s especially hard for those who knew the eight year old or the teen suspect, Adrian Gonzalez. Talking to kids about a traumatic event like this can be too much for a parent, so the school district and county have been stepping in this week.
The suspect in the case, Adrian Gonzalez went to Santa Cruz High School. The school year hasn’t started yet, but on Thursday students came to campus to talk with counselors.
“I think for many teenagers in particular, life is already difficult sometimes for them,” Erik Riera said, director of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for Santa Cruz County.
This week, for some students in Santa Cruz, it’s more than teen angst. It’s coping with tragedy, especially when it involves a personal connection. Neighbors and friends of the suspected killer have told NewsChannel 5 Gonzalez was a nice kid from a nice family.
“It’s difficult,” Riera said. “If you can imagine having a classmate that’s accused of a crime like this. And it’s often someone that they may know. So there’s a lot of mixed feelings that can come up for people.”
Guilt, denial, shock — all normal signs of someone dealing with grief. Riera said it’s natural for people to wonder if there was something they could have done. The district is ready to address all of those emotions at all of its schools with the help of full time counselors.
“Everyone responds to grief in different ways and in their own time,” Superintendent Kris Munro said. “And it’s very important to have resources available to families, to our community, and we will work to ensure that we meet their needs.”
But sometimes, there’s more than the textbook signs of grief to look out for.
“It’s very common to feel anxious or have difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite or even an increase in appetite,” Riera said. “But if those things persist for more than a few days and seem significant or of concern to a family, please call us.”
Staff have been at Maddy’s elementary school, Santa Cruz High School, the Tannery Arts Complex and the Boys and Girls Club.
