Sandra Cantu Murder in Tracy, California | 04/14/2009 8:20 am

Police: 8-Year-Old Sandra Cantu Was Raped by Sunday School Teacher, Killed (Video)

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

CNN

Just when you think the story surrounding the tragic death of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu couldn’t get any worse, California police say the Tracy, CA, Sunday school teacher suspected of killing the little girl may also have raped her.

"When she was booked, she was booked on charges of kidnapping and murder," Tracy Police Sgt. Tony Sheneman told CNN’s "Larry King Live" Monday night. "And we’re informed by the district attorney that she’ll be charged with abduction, murder, rape with a foreign object and lewd and lascivious acts with a child."

Prosecutors are considering whether to put the death penalty on the table for punishment, The San Francisco Chronicle reports. The deputy district attorney on the case said the special-circumstances allegations, including a lewd or lascivious act on a child, and potential rape, make Huckaby eligible for execution.

Huckaby, who is being kept under close observation for her own safety, will be arraigned today at 4 p.m. She is accused of kidnapping Sandra from her mobile-home park, raping and killing her, then stuffing her body in a suitcase before throwing it in an irrigation pond. It’s believed Sandra was killed in the nearby church in which Huckaby taught Sunday school. The police are not looking for any other suspects.

These latest charges are horrible news for a family and community already grieving.

"It’s very difficult to accept that a member of your community would be responsible for such a heinous act. So we were hoping that we would begin the healing process," Shenemen said. "But with the additional charges, that’s an additional blow, besides the fact that we found out it was a member of the community and a woman."

Watch video of the latest on the Cantu investigation from "Larry King Live" below:

13 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

This is obviously a sickening case. God Bless little Sandra Cantu’s soul! She didn’t deserve any of what happened to her.

By M J on 04/14/2009 8:54 am

Someone please tell me why this lady should not get the death penalty? I was so praying & hoping this didnt happen to this beautiful child…I would like to see Sandra’s parents have 30 seconds along with this lady…Maybe that would be one body never found…

By C Hardy on 04/14/2009 8:54 am

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There’s GOT to be more to this story. It is too bizarre to just stand as reported. This woman is a mother of a five year old, a playmate of Sandra’s. I believe more detail (motive?) or an accomplice will come to light.

By Dee T on 04/14/2009 8:59 am

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She is evil personified, and the death penalty should be bestowed upon her. That dear little girl what horrors she must have suffered at the hands of this creature and she was a Sunday school teacher doesn’t that make you sick? As I have said so many times before these holier than thou types sometimes hide a multitude of sins!!!

By caj p on 04/14/2009 9:01 am

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caj, I totally agree with giving this person the death penalty if she is found guilty. My feelings on crimes such as this is death is what they deserve.

By Mel Berg on 04/14/2009 9:19 am

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And if it turns out that Huckaby didn’t kill or rape Sandra Cantu, this woman’s life is ruined. I’m with everyone else in wanting answers to this crime - but police, DA offices and heck, even the media, are known nowadays to sensationalize the heck out of something without providing proof.

I think at this point, the next press conference the Tracy police hold should have something about the evidence they found linking Huckaby to it all - instead of more grass to feed the sheep.

By - Nikki - on 04/14/2009 9:43 am

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…put the death penalty on the table…

Go for it !! This person is unredeemable.

By Marjorie C. on 04/14/2009 11:44 am

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I think we have to stop using the word ‘evil’ it does not help us understand these things and does nothing to work toward preventing something like this. The crime is deplorable in itself and we don’t need this Jane Vallez Michell person sensationalizing it for us. We are sufficiently shocked.

By DeBúrca obj on 04/14/2009 12:10 pm

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typo, mitchell

By DeBúrca obj on 04/14/2009 12:11 pm

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I hope she burns in HELL! … She’s a MONSTER!

My prayers go to her family and friends.

I hope she’s put in the prison’s population and she meet her fate with some of the hardcore types like BIG BERTHA and her friends whose in for life and looking to make someone their community BI- -H!!!!

By L. C. on 04/14/2009 12:19 pm

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My prayers are with the family and friends of the baby not the monster!

By L. C. on 04/14/2009 12:21 pm

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a poem for Sandra —

What Sandra Cantu Will Miss

All the blooming earthly things

like birds and bees
and daisy chains;
pastel dresses for prom dances,
singing in the sixth-grade play,
kisses: soft-and-sweet & passionate

and the wedding kiss;
meeting best friends forever,
to drive her first car with the tunes cranked up loud,
letting her hair grow wonderfully long,
to wear too much makeup with defiant flare
and to be crushed by her first breakup;
making love, making babies –

all the blooming earthly things.

By C. Bailey on 04/15/2009 2:09 pm

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What a beautiful child and for some sick pervert, monster. The death penalty is too good for her, she needs to rot in some prison. Most prisons take care of those type people. When you think you have heard it all, this woman deserves the worst possible conditions on earth!

M. Mitchell

By Mary Mitchell on 04/15/2009 6:38 pm