Neighbors of murder victim trying to cope with tragedy

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Just a few feet away from the spot where she used to play before catching the bus is a memorial to 6-year-old Shirley Mundia, who was murdered Sunday morning. Neighbors are shocked by the brutality of the crime.

The memorial to Shirley, outside the Irish Hills Apartments, continues to grow with flowers and teddy bears.

Just a few feet away is the stop sign where Shirley and other kids played before catching the bus in the morning.

The apartment is boarded up, police are gone, but the orange marks left by police remind residents of what happened.

"The people you're supposed to love and trust is doing wicked things. It's crazy,” said neighbor Edward Smith.

Smith says he heard about the crime while at work.

The crime happened in his apartment building. He says as a father, it’s hard to come to terms with what happened.

"It's a sad day, a baby girl. She isn’t going to get to experience high school or college, her first date or her first kiss all because someone who she thought she could trust and love and look up to. Something so vicious like this it’s kind of what's the world coming to,” said Smith.

The community is showing its support under a tree outside the building where Mundia lived.

For many the real question is whether you live next door, upstairs, or just a few windows over should you ever get involved and if so to what extent?

"Maybe if the neighbors talked more, maybe if everyone in that apartment knew that family, maybe they would be able to go down there and help,” said neighbor Tevin Fowler.

The best thing to do is to call 9-1-1 if you ever fear for your own or someone else’s safety.

One woman who lives on the same floor where the crime happened says the screams were so horrific, they couldn’t stay at their apartment Sunday night.

There will be a prayer vigil for Shirley Wednesday at Irish Hills at 6 p.m.