Hundreds gather for vigil in honor of unidentified child found dead in Hacienda Heights

Hundreds gathered in Hacienda Heights Thursday evening to honor the life of an unidentified child whose body was found dumped near a hiking trail off Hacienda Blvd. Tuesday morning.

A candlelight vigil was held just down the street from the location where the unidentified black girl's body was found.

Related: Homicide detectives need help identifying child found dead near hiking trail in Hacienda Heights

"For something so tragic to happen to such an innocent little child it's hard to believe that somebody would just discard her like she was a piece of trash," said Angela Hernandez. "We're taking this little child as if she's our own, she needs a family and we're here to be her family if nobody wants to step up to do that."

"The girl is our daughter, she's our daughter, she's one of ours, she's a community member as far as where she was cast aside as just an object," said Don Bailey. "That was right in our backyard and she deserves more than that."

LASD homicide detectives have been unable to identify the girl, who is between the ages of 8 and 13.

She was found partially stuffed into a duffle bag and had no visible signs of trauma on her body.

Her cause of death remains unknown pending an autopsy.

"To know that this happened in the heights and this little child was left along the roadside here off of Hacienda Boulevard, it was time for us to gather and pray together and remember her," said Arlene Silva.