Evergreen for the Ever-loved

Sharon Rocha, front center, looks at a memorial stone engraved with the name Laci Rocha Peterson. The stone was placed near the trunk of a young Colorado blue spruce tree, planted next to the entrance at Thomas Downey High School. The donated evergreen tree with Christmas lights and the stone were dedicated Wednesday morning in memory of Rocha's daughter, Laci, and unborn grandson, Conner.

Laci, a Downey High graduate, was pregnant with Conner around Christmastime 2002 when she disappeared. Her husband, Scott Peterson, was convicted of killing her. Sitting next to Rocha at the ceremony was her sister Susie Aquino.

The spruce will be adorned with lights each holiday season, according to school officials.

This story was originally published December 15, 2005 at 10:09 AM with the headline "Evergreen for the Ever-loved."