Local tribes hold rose petal ceremony to remember Emily Pike

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Quechan Tribe, along with the Cocopah Tribe, is hosting a rose petal ceremony in memory of an Indigenous teen killed near Mesa, Arizona.

14-year-old Emily Pike's remains were found on February 14, and her killer is still at large.

The ceremony is taking place at the Ocean to Ocean Bridge, with the rose petals being released at 6:00 p.m.

In addition to Pike, the tribes will also remember all the missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Conan Nierenhausen, a member of the Quechan Tribe, shared the importance of the event: "We're here to protect our kids in any way, you know, whether it be the system or, you know, through the law, you know, it's to protect the little ones. And I'm a firm believer in that, you know, we have to protect our family and our little ones."

Nierenhausen said they will be holding another event in May.