In April, as part of the Sandy Ground project, the purple playground was opened in Hartford, Connecticut in honor of Ana Grace Marquez-Greene, one of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting. But this weekend, almost a month after it opened, the park was vandalized.
Writing was scrawled on the playground sign, reading “BEKS” and “To Sandy Hook” with a peace sign. Police believe the incident happened late Saturday night.
The purple park, decorated with her artwork, was opened on what would have been Ana’s eighth birthday. It is one of 26 playgrounds being built for each of the victims of the shooting.
“It’s just a way she lives on, and as a parent who’s lost a child so young, you do want your children to live on. And this is a way for us to do that,” said Ana’s mom Nelba Marquez-Greene.
Bill Lavin, founder of The Sandy Ground: Where Angels Play Foundation, said, “Give a little window of joy to these families that have suffered so much is our privilege, our blessing.”
The shooting, which happened on December 14, 2012, took the lives of 20 children and 6 adult staff members. The shooter, 20-year old Adam Lanza, shot and killed his mother before driving to the school, then proceeded to shoot himself in the head as first responders arrived at the scene.
The incident was the deadliest mass shooting at a high school or grade school in U.S. history.
Sandy Hook Elementary School was demolished starting October 2013. In March of this year, Newtown city officials announced the new design for the new school. The only remaining remnant of the original school will be the flagpole.
Also happening last weekend, another Sandy Ground Project playground was added in West Beach Stamford, Connecticut in honor of Jesse Lewis.
Police in Hartford are investigating the purple playground vandalism and who was behind it.
As of today, the graffiti has been scrubbed clean.
Image via YouTube