Bill in Response to Santa Cruz Tragedy Passes First Policy Committee

For immediate release:

Thursday, April 16, 2026

(Sacramento, CA) - Assemblymember Pellerin introduced AB 1902 earlier this year in direct response to the gaps she learned over the last year studying the case of Adrian Gonzalez.

Santa Cruz was rocked to its core in 2015 when the body of 8-year old Madyson "Maddy" Middleton was found brutally raped and murdered by Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzales was 3 months shy of turning 16.

Due to several changes in the juvenile justice system, Gonzalez' case was ultimately adjudicated in juvenile court in 2021. He was 21 years old at the time he was sent to a Secured Youth Treatment Facility in Sonoma County. Three years later, in 2024, Gonzalez once again found himself in court. This time because fearing he still posed a danger to the community, the Santa Cruz DA petitioned to have an extension detention hearing. This was the first time any county in the state underwent a Welfare Institutions Code §876 extension detention hearing.

"I am approaching this bill first and foremost, as a mother and a member of the Santa Cruz Community," Assemblymember Pellerin said during her opening remarks in the Assembly Public Safety Committee. "Shortly after the conclusion of the extension detention hearing I met with jurors who made the difficult decision that he was not safe to be released. I spoke with the District Attorney's office about the challenges they faced. And I heard from community members whose grief and trauma were brought back to the surface all over again."

An extension detention hearing is initiated by county probation when a ward, nearing the end of their initial detention, is believed to still be a danger to the community. These hearings are meant for the rarest circumstances, when, despite every effort, rehabilitation has not been achieved.

AB 1902 makes a number of important changes to the detention extension hearing process. First, the bill will increase the maximum amount of time between extension hearings from two years to up to four years. The court will be required to state on the record the basis for the period ordered and base that decision on both a clinical assessment and evidence presented at the hearing. Second, the bill expands the facilities an individual can be sent to, including a state mental hospital, to ensure the best placement for treatment.

Shawna Spalding, Jeff Rosell (Santa Cruz DA) ; Assemblymember Pellerin; Laura Jordan (Maddy's mother); Tara George (Chief Deputy DA, Santa Cuz), and community member

"AB 1902 represents a significant step forward in the protection of victims by making sure offenders receive treatment, are held accountable, and are released only when appropriate," expressed Santa Cruz District Attorney, Jeff Rosell.

Joining Assemblymember Pellerin at the committee hearing today, to urge embers to support AB 1902, was Laura Jordan, Maddy's mother. "Today marks the first day in this grueling 11 year-long nightmare of a battle that I feel seen and heard as a victim. My pain and suffering was acknowledged today and it was confirmed today that Madyson's life mattered. I thank Assemblymember Pellerin for her hard work in bringing this bill to the light of day and I thank the Assembly Committee on Public Safety for giving me the chance to speak today," shared Laura.

The Peace Officers Association of California, the California District Attorneys Association, the Chief Probation Officers of California and the California Police Chiefs Association were also present in committee today to testify their support of the bill.

"As a mental health advocate, AB 1902 is about ensuring that the small number of individuals who will undergo an extension detention hearing are placed in the most appropriate setting to obtain the most appropriate treatment," Assemblymember Pellerin explained. "But my approach to AB 1902 is also very much centered around honoring victims. Their voices, their experiences, and their trauma must not be sidelined. They must be part of how we define justice."

Members of the community have initiated a letter writing campaign in support of AB 1902: SupportAB1902.com

AB 1902 passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee with bi-partisan support and now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.