Erika and John Brooks lay flowers at the memorial bench in Strawberry for their daughter Casey on May 3, 2020, which would have been her 30th birthday. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Spray paint graffiti is still visible on the memorial bench and placard at Strawberry Vista for their daughter Casey in honor of what would have been her 30th birthday on May 3, 2020 in Mill Valley, California. Casey Brooks died at age 17 after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2008. The memorial bench was vandalized in late March and early April, the second time the bench has been the target of severe vandalism since 2015. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Casey Brooks. (Provided by Brooks family)
John and Erika Brooks lay flowers and their daughterÕs favorite drink at her memorial bench at Strawberry Vista. They were honoring their adopted daughter Casey on what t would have been her 30th birthday on May 3, 2020 in Mill Valley, California. Casey Brooks died at age 17 after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2008. The memorial bench was vandalized in late March and early April, the second time the bench has been the target of severe vandalism since 2015. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
John and Erika Brooks lay flowers at the memorial bench at Strawberry Vista for their daughter Casey in honor of what would have been her 30th birthday on May 3, 2020 in Mill Valley, California. ErikaÕs brother Richard Borkowski (right) also accompanied them. Casey Brooks died at age 17 after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2008. The memorial bench was vandalized in late March and early April, the second time the bench has been the target of severe vandalism since 2015. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Casey Brooks. (Provided by Brooks family)
Erika and John Brooks lay flowers at the memorial bench at Strawberry Vista for their daughter Casey in honor of what would have been her 30th birthday on May 3, 2020 in Mill Valley, California. Casey Brooks died at age 17 after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2008. The memorial bench was vandalized in late March and early April, the second time the bench has been the target of severe vandalism since 2015. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
John Brooks picks up trash, including bottles of beer at Strawberry Vista. He came with his wife Erika to lay flowers at the memorial bench at Strawberry Vista for their daughter Casey in honor of what would have been her 30th birthday on May 3, 2020 in Mill Valley, California. Casey Brooks died at age 17 after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2008. The memorial bench was vandalized in late March and early April, the second time the bench has been the target of severe vandalism since 2015. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
John and Erika Brooks lay flowers at the memorial bench at Strawberry Vista for their daughter Casey in honor of what would have been her 30th birthday on May 3, 2020 in Mill Valley, California. Casey Brooks died at age 17 after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2008. The memorial bench was vandalized in late March and early April, the second time the bench has been the target of severe vandalism since 2015. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Casey Brooks. (Provided by Brooks family)
Erika Brooks lays flowers at the memorial bench at Strawberry Vista, with her husband John for their daughter Casey in honor of what would have been her 30th birthday on May 3, 2020 in Mill Valley. Casey Brooks died at age 17 after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2008. The memorial bench was vandalized in late March and early April, the second time the bench has been the target of severe vandalism since 2015. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Erika Brooks prepares to lay flowers with her husband John at the memorial bench at Strawberry Vista for their daughter Casey in honor of what would have been her 30th birthday on May 3, 2020 in Mill Valley, California. Casey Brooks died at age 17 after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2008. The memorial bench was vandalized in late March and early April, the second time the bench has been the target of severe vandalism since 2015. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Erika Brooks lays flowers with her husband John at the memorial bench at Strawberry Vista for their daughter Casey in honor of what would have been her 30th birthday on May 3, 2020 in Mill Valley, California. Casey Brooks died at age 17 after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2008. The memorial bench was vandalized in late March and early April, the second time the bench has been the target of severe vandalism since 2015. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
Some of the spray paint graffiti can still be seen on the memorial bench at Strawberry Vista in honor of Casey Brooks on May 3, 2020 in Mill Valley, California. Casey died at age 17 after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2008. The memorial bench was vandalized in late March and early April, the second time the bench has been the target of severe vandalism since 2015. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
John Brooks picks up trash, including bottles and cans of beer at Strawberry Vista. He came with his wife Erika to lay flowers at the memorial bench at Strawberry Vista for their daughter Casey in honor of what would have been her 30th birthday on May 3, 2020 in Mill Valley, California. Casey Brooks died at age 17 after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2008. The memorial bench was vandalized in late March and early April, the second time the bench has been the target of severe vandalism since 2015. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
John Brooks picks up trash, including bottles and cans of beer at Strawberry Vista. He came with his wife Erika to lay flowers at the memorial bench at Strawberry Vista for their daughter Casey in honor of what would have been her 30th birthday on May 3, 2020 in Mill Valley, California. Casey Brooks died at age 17 after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in January 2008. The memorial bench was vandalized in late March and early April, the second time the bench has been the target of severe vandalism since 2015. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the Marin Independent Journal)
For Fairfax residents John and Erika Brooks, it was shocking enough when someone vandalized a memorial bench honoring their daughter Casey.
But two weeks later, the site was desecrated again.
“They obviously knew this was a memorial bench for a teenager and I was just simply traumatized,” John Brooks said. “There is no other way to put it. Just imagine that somebody vandalizes your loved one’s grave in a particularly cruel and hateful way. How else can you react?”
Casey Brooks died in 2008, at age 17, after jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. She would have turned 30 on Sunday.
A friend created the bench in her memory at the end of Inez Place in Strawberry. The Brookses visit the bench at various occasions throughout the year, including their daughter’s birthday and the anniversary of her death.
The vista where the bench resides is a public area and a popular view. But its seclusion has also made it a magnet for recurring vandalism, littering and noise problems, according to Loren Griswald of the Strawberry Recreation District, which maintains the area.
While there are broken beer bottles, graffiti and drug paraphernalia occasionally found at the site, Griswald said what he found recently was unusual.
On March 25, the bench had been covered in teal spray paint. Returning on April 7 to clean off the paint, Griswald found the bench had been entirely covered by silver paint and pink stripes.
A nearby table was spray painted with “derogatory stuff,” as was the ground surrounding the area, he said.
“Someone spent a long time painting the whole bench,” Griswald said. “It was bright and it was gaudy. Someone was just being mean.”
Griswald said he spent four hours using turpentine and paint remover to clear off as much paint as he could. A second cleaning will be required to clean off the memorial plaque.
Based on how often vandalism occurs up there, Griswald said he does not believe this recent incident was targeted against the Brookses or their daughter.
“The core issue is that whatever is placed up there, whether it’s a plaque or bollard or statue, would be pretty much vandalized,” Griswald said.
The vista has been a point of controversy in the past. In 2015, a neighbor removed the original bench, saying it attracted bad elements and claiming it was on his property. The district installed two new benches later that year.
John Brooks said he has filed a report with the sheriff’s office, but that it’s unlikely any suspect will be found without more evidence. In the meantime, he said, he is discussing ideas with the recreation district about how to address the problems at the site.
Erika Brooks said her daughter often went to the vista with her friends. She said understands the desire of teenagers to have their own space, especially during the isolating restrictions of the coronavirus crisis.
“I know we’re all cooped up, and I know what it’s like for teens,” she said. “But if they could be a little more reflective about what these things mean to people, it could be a real learning experience.”
