CLEVELAND, Ohio — Those closest to 15-year-old Jaiden Rentas said she was loving, full of hope and potential for a bright future.
"She had hopes and dreams of getting into graphic design. She wanted to graduate school early so that she could pursue her dreams," Jaiden's uncle Paul Anthony Rentas said.
But her dreams were tragically cut short last Friday afternoon when the Cleveland Division of Police say she was found shot to death inside a car left in a field on West 22nd Street. Neighbors called police after they saw the car with the engine running and windshield wipers on.
A vigil now stands where her body was found.
"What is it going to take for kids to stop dying? What is it going to take for this madness to end?" Rentas said.
Many shared stories during Thursday evening's vigil of their favorite memories with Jaiden. Her family said she was loved by so many and she did not deserve this.
Her uncle urged the community to come together to let her memory live on and not let her tragic death be in vain.
"Parents need to do better and bother their kids and be in their hair about who they're with, and kids need to just listen to their parents and just heed the message and the warning, because there's nothing out here but death and destruction," Rentas said.
Police said a 16-year-old boy was arrested for aggravated murder on Saturday. The family is now calling for the violence to stop and for everyone to do their part to make that happen.
"Just put down the guns, man," Rentas said. "Kids are taught these behaviors, kids learn these behaviors, so just get to know your neighbors, get to know who your kids are hanging out with."
Jaiden was reported missing 10 days before she was found dead.
As of October 29th, police data so far this year showed that out of the 124 homicides in the city, at least 12 have been kids ages 17 and under.
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