DEVASTATED loved ones of a teenage girl allegedly killed by her 15-year-old boyfriend say they're finding comfort in a series of signs they believe she's sending them from beyond the grave.
Brooke McLaughlin, 14, was found dead inside her family home by her mother last Monday in the secluded town of Mount Vernon, Maine, at around 6pm local time.
The teenager's cause of death has been ruled a homicide, though the nature in which she was killed is currently being withheld by police.
Aidan Grant, 15, was arrested in connection to her death on Saturday morning and has since been charged with murder.
Grant, who is understood to have been Brooke's boyfriend, appeared in juvenile court on Monday and entered a denial – the equivalent of a not guilty plea – via Zoom.
Donna Walker, a close family friend of the McLaughlin's, told The US Sun that Grant was someone Brooke "trusted and felt safe with" and who had never shown any signs of aggression previously.
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As friends of family of Brooke's remain in a state of disbelief over her murder, Walker says she's finding comfort in a series of signs she believes the teen is sending her to let her know she's at peace.
"On Wednesday morning I was mowing the grass on my property and all of I sudden I saw an angel, like a Christmas ornament in the middle of the field," said Walker.
"The angel was out in the open and in a spot I've walked over thousands of times but I've never seen it there before.
"I found out [about Brooke's death] on Tuesday morning, and this was first thing Wednesday when I found the angel."
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Walker said she shared another strange encounter on Sunday, shortly after Brooke's remains were cremated.
She had been driving outside of the neighboring town of Augusta when all of a sudden a hail storm started out of nowhere.
Then, as quickly as it had started, suddenly the storm stopped and bright rays of sunshine started beaming down.
"The hailstorm came out of nowhere," Walker said. "No clouds, no nothing – which is kind of how, you know, there were no signs this kid was [allegedly] going to do this to her."
According to Walker, her son also reported experiencing a strange encounter he now attributes to Brooke.
He had been working on a construction site on Monday, the same dayBrooke was killed, when he walked into the woods and noticed a rock on the ground with what looked like a "B" written on it.
"It was like the glistening where the sun was hitting it," Walker said.
"And 10 minutes after he saw it I called him to tell him what had happened [to Brooke], and naturally he went back and grabbed the rock.
"So she's definitely been leaving us all kinds of signs to let us know she's at peace," added Walker.
'A NIGHTMARE'
As an investigation into Brooke's murder continues, Walker says she and members of the girl's immediate family, including her mother Becky, are still coming to terms with the tragic events of the last week.
Walker says that Becky is "frozen in time," convinced Brooke's death is part of a nightmare she'll soon wake from.
"That's what we're all thinking: it's just a nightmare," Walker added.
"We think we're going to wake up and our sassy little girl is going to be there."
Walker also said she has been left completely shocked by the arrest of Grant, telling The US Sun hours before he was named as a suspect: "I only met him a handful of times but I see his [family] on a regular basis.
"Neither he nor any of his family have shown any type of aggression or anything like that … [he was] polite, well-mannered, respected.
"We're all kind of in shock and second-guessing everything now.
"I would have never dreamt that the kid could possibly do something like this… his [family] has reached out to us and they're in just as much disbelief as everyone else.
"It’s one of those deals where it’s like, 'oh my word, it’s got to be something or somebody else', but obviously when they make an arrest they have some evidence of some sort."
INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
Walker said it's her hope that the alleged killer is tried as an adult to avoid any lenient sentencing afforded to younger offenders under Maine state law, should he be found guilty.
Grant, who had been dating Brooke since at least February, is currently being held at the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland.
As previously reported by The US Sun, on the day Brooke was murdered, her family's car was stolen from outside their home.
The vehicle – a red 2010 Chevrolet Impala – was later recovered 15 to 20 miles away the next morning in the town of Wayne, where Grant's family lives.
In her obituary, Brooke was remembered as a "kind, loving, very thoughtful, big-hearted, strong person, who loved her family and friends that she had so much joy spending time with.
"She enjoyed campfires, music, shopping, swimming, animals, four-wheeling, ice fishing, hiking, and hanging out with her friends," the heartbreaking tribute added.
Brooke was in 7th-grade student at Maranacook Community Middle School, according to Superintendent of Schools Jay Charette.
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She had celebrated her 14th birthday just two weeks before she was killed.
Anyone with information about Brooke's death is asked to call the Maine State Police at 207-624-7076.
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