These Are the Newtown Victims

AP gets a look at some of the lives lost in Friday's massacre

(Newser)
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The names of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings were released yesterday, and glimpses into their lives, snapshots, and tributes are emerging this morning. Dad Robbie Parker last night remembered 6-year-old Emilie, reports the LA Times, the first parent to speak publicly of his lost child. "All those who had the pleasure to meet her would agree that this world has been a better place because she has been in it," he said tearfully. To Adam Lanza's family, he said: "I want you to know that our family and our love and our support goes out to you as well." And he recounted Friday morning, when Emilie said good morning and told him she loved him. I gave her a kiss,” Parker said, “and I was out the door.” A look at some of the other victims, via the AP:

Charlotte Bacon, 6: After much begging, Charlotte's mom let her wear a new pink dress and boots to school. It was the last outfit the redheaded girl would ever pick out. "She was going to go some places in this world," says her uncle.

Olivia Engel, 6: Olivia was looking forward to coming home Friday, to make a gingerbread house. "She loved attention," says a family friend. "She had perfect manners. She was the teacher's pet, the line leader. Her only crime is being a wiggly, smiley 6-year-old."

Dawn Hochsprung, 47: "I don't think you could find a more positive place to bring students to every day," the principal said in 2010. As the AP writes, "When the unthinkable came, she was ready to defend." She died lunging at Lanza.

Madeleine Hsu, 6. A doctor at Madeleine's house said her family had no comment, adding, "This is the darkest thing I've ever walked into."

Catherine Hubbard, 6. "We are greatly saddened by the loss of our beautiful daughter, Catherine Violet," said her parents in a statement that thanked emergency responders.

Chase Kowalski, 7. Chase was outside all the time, and had recently won a mini-triathlon, says a neighbor. "You couldn't think of a better child."

Jesse Lewis, 6. "He was always friendly; he always liked to talk," says the owner of the deli where Jesse ate his favorite sausage, egg, and cheese with hot chocolate on Friday morning.

Ana Marquez-Greene, 6. Video of Ana singing "Come, Thou Almighty King" is going viral. It's in the gallery or here. "As much as she's needed here and missed by her mother, brother and me, Ana beat us all to paradise," wrote dad Jimmy Greene on Facebook.

James Mattioli, 6. "It's a terrible tragedy, and we're a tight community," says the mayor of the upstate New York town where James' mom grew up. "Everybody will be there for them, and our thoughts and prayers are there for them."

Anne Marie Murphy, 52. "You don't expect your daughter to be murdered," her father said, after he and her mother waited in vain for hours for news of their daughter. Murphy, a teacher described as a "happy soul," died shielding her students. "It happens on TV. It happens elsewhere."

Noah Pozner, 6. Noah's parents moved him and sisters from New York "for safety and education," an uncle says. He called Noah, the youngest victim, "extremely mature. When I was his age, I was not like him." He will be buried today.

Lauren Gabrielle Rousseau, 30. "Lauren wanted to be a teacher from before she even went to kindergarten," said her mom in a statement. After years of substitute teaching, she finally got that call this year. "It was the best year of her life."

Mary Sherlach, 56. Sherlach died rushing Lanza with principal Dawn Hochsprung. "Mary felt like she was doing God's work," said her son-in-law, "working with the children."

Victoria Soto, 27. "She beams in snapshots," notes the AP, and she was killed after making sure her first-graders were safe. "She put those children first. That's all she ever talked about," says a friend. "You have a teacher who cared more about her students than herself," says the mayor of Soto's hometown.

Lauren Rousseau, 30, had spent years as a substitute teacher before finally getting a full-time job at Sandy Hook this fall. "It was the best year of her life," said her mother.
(AP Photo/Courtesy of Rousseau Family)

Noah Pozner, 6. His parents moved him, his twin sister, and his older sister from New York "for safety and education," an uncle says.
(AP Photo/Family Photo)

Emilie Alice Parker, 6. Dad Robbie Parker last night spoke publicly of his firstborn, saying tearfully, "I'm so blessed to be her dad."
(AP Photo/Courtesy of the Parker Family)

Olivia Engel, 6. "She loved attention," says a family friend. "She had perfect manners. She was the teacher's pet, the line-leader. Her only crime is being a wiggly, smiley 6-year-old."
(AP Photo/Engel Family, Tim Nosezo)

Mary Sherlach, 56, school psychologist. She died rushing the shooter with principal Dawn Hochsprung. "Mary felt like she was doing God's work," said her son-in-law, "working with the children."
(AP Photo/Courtesy of Mark Sherlach)

Robbie Parker, father of 6-year-old Emilie, fights back tears as he speaks during a news conference, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, in Newtown, Conn.
(AP Photo/David Goldman)

My heart goes out the the families of the victims. It takes a coward to commit an act of such violence on such young innocence. And it is scary that this has become a common occurance. I also find it scary that the "my take on this story" vote was...2% hilarious, 1% intriguing, 1% brilliant and 2% annoying. What is wrong with these people? Are they the next shooters? Scary isn't it?

right2dave

Dec 16, 2012 2:58 PM CST

Yes we all ache to see the innocents that were killed. Rotating their photos and bios is just pandering to get readership. Newser slime.

iq145

Dec 16, 2012 2:04 PM CST

Still think a new set of 'gun laws' can fix this new uprising of gun/maniac incidents? That's just Obama's false face attempt to appear that he's making a response as a President of the United States. He's just as helpless as the rest of us. Nothing can change people's thoughts.
To keep people out of a building who don't belong inside won't help. The perps are internal.
They're suicidal too (to make it even worse), so threats of the Chair as a punishment won't even help.

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