Hundreds of people showed up Wednesday night at a candlelight vigil in west Denver to celebrate the life of a 3-year-old girl whose body was found in a shallow ravine.
The Set Free Church of Denver, 1001 Perry St., and other churches nearby led relatives and friends of Niveah Gallegos and more than 200 supporters in prayer and song.
A memorial made up mostly of teddy bears, pink balloons and flowers filled a rock garden on the edge of Lakewood and Dry Gulch Park along Perry Street between 10th and 13th avenues. Another, smaller memorial, including a wooden cross with the girl’s name on it, rose along the ravine nearby when her body was found Monday.
Many in the crowd silently wiped away tears, and at least one man wept openly, sobbing aloud.
Caroline Olivas, who lives in the area, was there with her 6-month-old daughter and 3-year-old son.
“I’m here to pay my respect to the family” of Niveah, Olivas said. “I would be really hurt if it would have happened to one of my kids.”
Victoria Pipitone and Carl Steinfurth, also of the neighborhood, hugged throughout the vigil.
“It tears my heart out,” Pipitone said of the girl’s death.
“Such a cruel death,” Steinfurth added.
The body was found three days after police arrested Niveah’s mother, Miriam Gallegos, and her mother’s boyfriend, Angel Montoya, in connection with the death.
They lived in the west Denver neighborhood.
Pastor Shane Fay said he was pleased with the turnout and show of support for Niveah’s extended family.
“God has given us an opportunity to share this grief,” Fay said. He prayed that “the healing start here and now.”
Staff writer Kieran Nicholson can be reached at 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
