Family and friends are remembering a Sarasota girl who was kidnapped and killed more than eight years ago.
In February 2004, 11-year-old Carlie Brucia was kidnapped outside of a car wash.
Her abduction was caught by a surveillance camera. Her body was found at a nearby church days later.
Years later, the community has not forgotten her.
"Extremely, extremely hard," said Larry Berberich.
Shortly after the girl's death, Berberich befriended Carlie's father, Joe Brucia.
He helped design a garden in her honor at Carlie's school, McIntosh Middle, where she was a sixth grader.
Recently, Berberich and some others from the area improved the garden and added new plants, flowers, benches and more.
"It got a little aged," said Berberich. "We wanted to get it in a little better shape, so we made decision a few weeks ago then re-dedicate it."
On Friday, the group re-dedicated the garden.
It was a birthday and life celebration, where they reflected on a life taken too soon.
Friday would have been Carlie's 20th birthday.
"She would have been a young woman ready to start her journey and ready to start a family," said Joe Brucia. "I could have had grandchildren by now. There could have been a lot of things."
Carlie was Brucia's only child. He said while he'll never get over this loss, he said the garden along with the community's kindness helps him cope.
Brucia and everyone involved with the garden hope their efforts not only keep Carlie's memory alive, but also serve as a safety reminder to other children.
They hope others will remember to be careful of their surroundings to prevent from what happened to Carlie from happening to them.
"Maybe it makes that one or two kids think," said Brucia. "Maybe it will get them out of situation that happened to Carlie."
Joseph Smith was sentenced to death for the kidnapping, sexual assault and first degree murder of 11-year-old Carlie Brucia.
His attorneys have filed an appeal and are seeking a new trial because they claim that the FBI mishandled DNA evidence.