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Dozens of complete strangers left flowers and said prayers on Deer Island for a little girl who, until Friday, was only known as "Baby Doe."
Bella Bond, whom investigators identified on Friday, was killed and discarded, police said.
Bella's body was found in a trash bag on the Deer Island shore on June 25, and, since then, investigators had pleaded for help in identifying Bella, circulating a rendering of the child an estimated 60 million times in locations across the world.
When news broke Friday that police had identified the girl and arrested her mother and her mother's boyfriend, the community gathered to honor the Dorchester girl who never made it to her third birthday.
"It's just sad," said Patty Federico. "This poor thing. Nobody knew who she was, and now they finally put a name to her."
Jane Cuddy, a Winthrop resident, said the case has rocked her town.
"I think our prayers were answered. I'm glad they found out who she was," Cuddy said. "Hopefully, they'll be able to find out the answers that everybody's been wondering for all these months."
Fred Laskey, executive director of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority on Deer Island, led his employees in dedicating a bench, a bronze fawn and a bronze plaque on Friday afternoon just feet from where Bella's body was found. The group raised $3,800 for the memorial and for Bella's future burial.
"It's just an ugly, ugly, tragic situation that is beyond anything you ever want to think about," Laskey said. "Even the toughest of guys were just melted by this thing, and said, “We've got to do something."
A candlelight vigil will honor Bella on Deer Island at 7 p.m., on Monday.
The plaque reads:
"For reasons we may never know
An angel came to our shore
Causing us to shed a collective tear
May she rest in peace and never be forgotten"
Some funds are left over to go toward her burial. New England Casket Company will donate a custom-made casket for her.
<< MORE: Full coverage of the 'Baby Doe' investigation >>
