SOUTH BERWICK — About 400 people gathered on the lawn in front of South Berwick’s town office Tuesday night to show that they care about the unidentified boy whose body was found Saturday off Dennett Road.
People held candles, prayed and sang hymns during the vigil, which lasted about an hour.
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So many people tried to get to the vigil that traffic on Main Street in downtown South Berwick came to a standstill around 6 p.m.
People of all ages were in the crowd, including parents and their young children, grandparents and teenagers. Their emotions ranged from anger, to horror to tears of sadness.
“Whoever did this to this innocent, beautiful little boy needs to get the help they obviously need, and to get the punishment for killing this little boy,” said Terry Hale of South Berwick, who came to the vigil with her twin daughters, who are 14.
The vigil was organized by Amy Aiguier, a South Berwick resident who said the event began with her chatting about the boy with friends on Facebook.
“It snowballed into this,” said Aiguier, a mother of two, as she nodded toward the crowd that had formed a makeshift memorial — stuffed animals, single-stem roses and candles — at the base of a flagpole in front of the town office. “It hits very close to your heart.”
Aiguier said the vigil’s purpose was to show whoever abandoned the boy’s body that the community cares, with the hope that the person will go to authorities.
Hale said the community has been deeply disturbed by the case because no adult has come forward to report the boy missing.
“I think it’s heart-wrenching. Everyone is trying to keep a smile on their face, but everyone, deep inside, is really down,” Hale said.
Marge Trowbridge of Sanford couldn’t contain her anger.
“There is no forgiveness for such a person,” she said. “I believe in an eye for an eye. They are an animal, a murdering animal.”
Trowbridge spoke to the crowd at length about the person who abandoned the child. Afterward, she gave a teddy bear to 3-year-old Anthony Zamarripa of South Berwick.
The boy’s mother, Amber, who has five children, said her family came to get answers.
“When I heard about what happened, it tore me up. It hurt my heart,” said Amber Zamarripa.
Jessica Powell, who lives off Dennett Road, in the neighborhood where the boy’s body was found, said, “There’s just no words to describe how I feel. It breaks my heart.”
“He means something to someone,” said Brianna Hale, a freshman at Marshwood High School. “I am so shocked that no one has come forward yet.”
Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at: dhoey@pressherald.com
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