HOPKINTON, Mass. (State House News Service) — Lawmakers who represent the town of Hopkinton will be among those attending a vigil Thursday afternoon on the town common for Mikayla Miller, the 16-year-old who was found dead in that Metrowest community during the early morning hours of April 18.
Investigators in Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan's office continue to probe the circumstances around Miller's death amid growing frustration over the lack of conclusions from her office about what they have learned. Ryan has pledged a thorough probe with transparent findings.
"Mikayla Miller deserved to grow old," Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley tweeted on Tuesday. "She had so many basketball games, road trips and HBCU homecomings ahead of her. She deserved childhood -- uninterrupted. There needs to be a full, transparent, independent investigation into her death."
On Wednesday, Attorney General Maura Healey wrote, "My heart breaks for Mikayla Miller's family. Young, LGBTQ girls of color deserve all our love, support, and protection. Nothing will bring her back, but I hope a thorough investigation into the circumstances of her death can bring some peace to her family and community."
Hopkinton is represented in the Legislature by Senate President Karen Spilka and Rep. Carolyn Dykema, who both plan to attend the 4:30 p.m. vigil.
"Mikayla Miller was a cherished daughter, friend, school mate and team member, and her future held so much potential," Spilka said in a statement Wednesday. "She deserved to be safe and to follow her dreams. I am devastated by her tragic death, and have held her mother, friends, family and loved ones in my heart since hearing the news. I understand that a lack of answers about her case is distressing, especially in a time of grieving, and I join the family and the community in support of a thorough and transparent investigation."
Said Dykema, "Mikayla's mother and family, as well as the public, deserve transparency and accountability in the circumstances surrounding her passing and I appreciate DA Ryan's pledge to fully disclose the results of the investigation once it's complete."
By Michael P. Norton, State House News Service
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(Photo: Karyn Regal/WBZ NewsRadio)