Hundreds of people showed up tonight at a candle-light vigil in west Denver to celebrate the short life of a 3-year-old girl whose body was found in a nearby shallow ravine.
The Set Free Church of Denver, 1001 Perry St., and other nearby churches lead family members and friends of the child, Niveah Gallegos, and more than 200 supporters in prayer and song.
A memorial made up mostly of teddy bears, pink ballons and flowers filled a rock garden on the edge of Lakewood Gulch Park along Perry Street between 10th and 13th Avenues. Another, smaller memorial, including a wooden cross with the girl’s name spelled out on it, rose along the ravine nearby when the girl’s body was found Monday.
Many in the crowd silently wiped away tears and at least one man wept openly, sobbing and crying aloud.
Caroline Olivas, who lives in the area, attended the service 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 nieghborhood, hugged throughout the vigil.
“It tears my heart out,” Pipitone said of the girl’s death.
“Such a cruel death,” Steinfurth added.
The discovery Monday came three days after police arrested Niveah’s mother, Miriam Gallegos, and her mother’s boyfriend, Angel Montoya, in connection with the death.
The young girl, her mother and her mother’s boyfriend 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.”
Authorities had conducted massive searches for Niveah’s body and hundreds of volunteers searched Capitol Hill and downtown Denver areas.
Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for the Denver district attorney’s office, said Tuesday that charges are expected to be filed against Montoya and Niveah’s mother, Miriam Gallegos, by the end of the week.
Staff writer Kieran Nicholson can be reached at 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
