Volunteers tend to Somer Thompson's tribute garden

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Diena Thompson had the home of her daughters convicted killer burned down in a fire training exercise in February and today it is a beautiful garden.

Volunteers were out tending to the garden that now resides where the home used to be.

Action News Jax Bridgette Matter spoke with Thompson, the mother of Somer Thompson.

“On Oct. 19, 2009 there used to be a house that stood on this property. The monster that lived here lured my beautiful sunshine Somer here and took her life,” Thompson said.

Almost five years have passed since 7-year-old Somer Thompson was raped and murdered by a man her mother calls a monster.

She says the haunting memories are still so fresh in her mind.

“She was sweet, trusting, caring, and she loved animals -- ultimately was her downfall,” Thompson said.

Her daughter never walked out of the home that used to stand where the garden now resides. But that garden now stands as a tribute to Thompson’s daughter.

For Thompson, the garden is the closest she can get to her slain daughter,

“I wish she were here to tell me, but I think she'd be really happy,” Thompson said.

Somer’s killer, Jared Harrell, is in prison serving six life sentences.

WJAX