‘Celebration of Life’ held for mother and son who were found dead in Moss Landing

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV)- The La Joya Elementary School auditorium was filled Monday evening with community members and a family saddened by the loss of two of their own.

The Santa Rita Union School District held a "Celebration of Life" to honor the memories of Edgar Espinoza Ramirez, a 7-year-old student at La Jolla, and his mother, Florencia Martinez, 27. They were both found dead in the Moss Landing Lagoon in late March, said the Monterey County Sheriff's Office.

"He was a fun-loving boy. He loved socializing. He loved his friends," said Edgar's teacher. "The last memory I have of him was when we were playing a game called 'Go. Freeze. Hide.' and I just remember him giggling and just playing around. Even though he is gone, he will hold a special place in my heart."

Prayers were recited, and a moment of silence was held for the mother and son. The family was emotional throughout the entire ceremony.

"Edgar is not here, I feel sad, but when he was here, I felt super happy, but now I miss him," said a classmate. "We played a lot together. In recess, he was super kind. I miss him a lot."

Deputies are still investigating how the two ended up in the water.

'Celebration of Life' planned for mother and son who were found dead in Moss Landing

The Santa Rita Union School District said they plan to honor a student and mother who were a part of their family with a "Celebration of Life" on Monday, April 3 at 6 p.m.

Edgar Espinoza Ramirez, 7, and his mother, Florencia Martinez, were reported missing Wednesday night by Edgar's 3-year-old brother after a good Samaritan found the boy. Florencia was found in the water unresponsive and was later pronounced dead, said Monterey County Sheriff's Office investigators.

A private dive team found Edgar on Saturday morning in the same part of the Moss Landing lagoon his mother was found and was also declared deceased.

Read more: Remains of missing Moss Landing child found by dive team

Edgar was a student at La Joya Elementary School, and the "Celebration of Life" will take place at the school starting at 6 p.m. The event will be outdoors, so attendees should prepare for the cold weather.