Who was Brooke McLaughlin? Maine girl, 14, killed by BF on his birthday after he felt forgotten by family
MOUNT VERNON, MAINE: Brooke McLaughlin, 14, was found dead by her mother just after 6 pm on July 18 at their family's home in Mount Vernon, Maine. A juvenile suspect named Aidan Grant, 15, who was known to Brooke and her family was arrested in connection with her death on Saturday. The boy allegedly killed her on his birthday after feeling forgotten by his family. He is being held at Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland.
A red 2010 Chevrolet Impala also was stolen from the home’s driveway. It was found the next day to the south in Wayne. The teenager's cause of death has been ruled a homicide, though the nature in which she was killed is currently being withheld at the request of the Attorney General, the Office of Cheif Medical Examiner of Maine said in a statement. According to The Sun, Donna Walker, a close family friend of the McLaughlin's, said the boy was someone Brooke "trusted and felt safe with."
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"I only met him a handful of times but I see his [family] on a regular basis," said Walker. "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."
She said Brooke's tragic murder took place on her alleged killer's birthday, and it's her belief the incident may have been "premeditated." "From what I understand ... the kiddo that [allegedly] did this, it was their birthday, and his family wasn't there to properly celebrate with him, so he did something to ensure that the day was never forgotten again". "That hasn't been confirmed," she added, "but it's one of those things being thrown around." Walker says Brooke, "being a friend and close" to the suspect, apparently noticed he was upset and texted his mom to bring home a cake for him that night. "I wasn't there, so I don't know for sure, but it's my understanding that his family was supposed to be having some kind of gathering that evening for his birthday".
Walker said she and immediate family members of Brooke's have been informed by officials about how she was killed, though they're hoping to keep that information out of the public domain in order to spare other elderly relatives any further distress. The Kennebec Journal reported that the two were in a relationship, citing Grant’s Facebook page. McLaughlin’s death remains under investigation.