Fundraiser for family of Acton murder-suicide victim

Christina, 16, a student at Acton-Boxboro Regional High School, was killed by her stepfather on May 31, 2024. The man, Juliano Santana, 49, then killed himself. This photo was posted on a GoFundMe account set up to help Christina’s grieving family. (Courtesy of GoFundMe)

ACTON — A fundraiser has been held to help the family of a 16-year-old girl shot by her stepfather Thursday in what authorities say was a murder-suicide.

Money raised through the GoFundMe account will be used to pay for funeral and memorial costs for the Acton-Boxboro Regional student, as well as “possible legal and advocacy (fees) and support for the entire family,” according to the fundraising page. , organized by Natalia Dedkov.

“There are no adequate words to express this tragedy and there never will be,” the fundraiser states. “We are heartbroken to share the devastating news of the tragic and untimely death of our beloved Christine. At just 16, Christina’s life was taken from her family in an act of unthinkable violence at the hands of her stepfather. The whole community is shattered and we are all struggling to cope with the overwhelming pain and trauma.”

Christina, whose last name is not provided in the fundraiser, is described as “a bright, lively 16-year-old girl who was very good at science and dreamed of going to college one day.”

“She had just started driving and was excited to take another step towards independence,” it said. “Losing Christina leaves a void that can never be filled. The two younger sisters and their mother will need all the support they can get during this unimaginably difficult time. Not only are they dealing with the loss of their beloved sister and daughter, but they are also trying to make sense of the traumatic events that have shattered their world.”

Authorities released details of the horrific tragedy Thursday night. The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and Acton Police said in a joint news release that the 16-year-old girl was walking home from school on Great Road that day when she was abducted by her stepfather, 49-year-old Juliano Santana.

Authorities said Christina had an active restraining order against Santana after she accused him of raping her several times years ago. Santana’s trial, charged in Malden with six counts of aggravated rape of a child, was set to begin July 29 in Middlesex Superior Court.

Santana posted $30,000 bail and as part of his release was ordered to stay away from Christina and wear a GPS monitoring device.

Thanks to this device, the police were able to find him after he kidnapped Christina on Thursday. According to authorities, police found both Santana and the 16-year-old girl dead from “apparent gunshot wounds” inside his vehicle in a parking lot on Great Road near the girl’s residence.

“No one should ever have to face the pain of losing a child, especially under such horrific circumstances,” the GoFundMe account reads.

The fundraiser has set a goal of $50,000. As of Saturday night, the fundraiser had brought in $27,869, raised among 419 donors.

To contribute, go to gofundme.com/f/support-christinas-family-through-tragic-loss.

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