LARGO, Fla. — The Largo community gathered Friday evening for a candlelight vigil to remember Sabrina Peckham, the 41-year-old woman whose remains were spotted in an alligator's mouth a week ago.

What You Need To Know

  • A candlelight vigil was held Friday night for Sabrina Peckham

  • Peckham's remains were spotted in the mouth of an alligator last week

  • No cause of death has been released

  • Read previous coverage here

Flowers and balloons mark the spot along 134th Avenue North — something that is heartbreaking for Breauna Dorris, Peckham's daughter.

"Being out here is really hard for me," Dorris said. "She was always so kind. She was a great mother. She showed motherly instincts to any kid that she would come into contact with."

It may have been hard, but Dorris returned there to pay tribute to her mom. So did more than 70 others. Some, like Peckham's cousin, Kriscinda McCorvey, knew and loved her.

"We have a lot of childhood memories, playing and just being kids and just horsing around and that kind of fun stuff," McCorvey said.

Others never met her but came because they were touched by her story.

"It just made me to not take things for granted because I know you're here one day and the next minute, you can be done," said Vivian Price, who lives in the area near the canal.

Jamarcus Bullard came to the vigil from his shift at Wendy's — running down the street to make sure he didn't miss it. Bullard spotted Peckham's remains on his way to the interview for his job and alerted a nearby fire station, where emergency personnel called 911. He met Dorris for the first time at the vigil.

"It's just sad," Bullard said. "I feel bad for her family, but I'm glad that they got closure."

But questions remain. Dorris told Spectrum Bay News 9 that her mom was homeless, but how she ended up in the canal remains unclear. Officials with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said results from the medical examiner on Peckham's cause of death are pending.

"I had a fantastic childhood with my mom," Dorris said. "It's just sometimes, people go down the wrong path and they end up in situations like this. You know, we were a normal family at one point."

As the wait for answers continues, Dorris said support from the community has meant so much following her mother's death.