Jocelyn Nungaray: Funeral services underway for Texas girl

(NewsNation) — The family and friends of Jocelyn Nungaray, whose body was discovered last week in a north Houston creek, will say their final goodbye Thursday as the 12-year-old is laid to rest.

Investigators believe Jocelyn snuck out of her home on Sunday, June 16. According to court documents, the two suspects, 26-year-old Franklin Jose Pena Ramos and 22-year-old Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, asked her for directions.

Court documents allege the men lured Jocelyn under a bridge, where they kept her for two hours. Officials say she was tied up and strangled. She was found naked from the waist down with marks and scrapes on her neck consistent with being dragged.

The girl’s community is now in mourning, struggling to process her death.

“All I could do was think about ways to help out the family — certainly paying for the funeral took some of the enormous amount of stress off of them as they mourn their lovely child,” said Jim McIngvale, a man known as “Mattress Mack” who is paying for Jocelyn’s funeral.

Both of Jocelyn’s alleged killers remain behind bars on capital murder charges and $10 million bonds.

The news gripped the nation and raised concerns about border vetting processes. Some have also questioned the alternatives to detention program both men were enrolled in after entering the country illegally.

One of the men was reportedly wearing and Immigration and Customs Enforcement ankle monitor during the killing. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas stood behind the agency’s process and offered condolences to the impacted families.

The public is invited to attend both the funeral service and the celebration of life for Jocelyn.

“All I could do was think about ways to help out the family certainly paying for the funeral took some of the enormous amount of stress off of them as they mourn their lovely child,” McIngvale said.