The house is now wrapped in yellow tape, but the echoes of that afternoon won’t fade so easily. Inside, half-open presents sit beside drying bloodstains. A deflated balloon taps softly against the ceiling, a quiet reminder of what the day was supposed to be. Families who arrived with gifts left with trauma they cannot name, replaying the same seconds over and over, wondering if one different choice might have changed everything.
Outside, the community gathers in small, stunned circles. Candles line the sidewalk. A stuffed animal leans against a tree, its fur already damp from tears and sprinklers. Neighbors who once argued over parking now hold each other in silence. As detectives search for motives, parents in Stockton face a different investigation: how to explain to their children why even a birthday party is no longer guaranteed to be safe.
