Conn. shooting rampage victims

Portraits of the victims who died on Dec. 14, 2012, during a shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., have begun to emerge. The victims include 12 girls and eight boys, ages 6 and 7. All the adult victims were women.

Information for these profiles was culled from the Associated Press, statements from the family, Facebook pages, and obituary information, as well as other media reports where noted.

Allison Wyatt, 6

This photo is Allison was provided courtesy of the Wyatt family.

Avielle Richman, 6

Avielle Richman is pictured in a photo featured on a Facebook memorial site.

Jack Pinto, 6

Jack Pinto was a huge New York Giants fan. Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz honored Jack on Sunday by writing the words ‘‘Jack Pinto, My Hero’’ and ‘‘R.I.P. Jack Pinto’’ on his cleats.

Catherine Hubbard, 6

Catherine’s parents released a statement expressing gratitude to emergency responders and for the support of the community.

‘‘We are greatly saddened by the loss of our beautiful daughter, Catherine Violet and our thoughts and prayers are with the other families who have been affected by this tragedy,’’ Jennifer and Matthew Hubbard said. ‘‘We ask that you continue to pray for us and the other families who have experienced loss in this tragedy.’’

Dylan Hockley, 6

Dylan Hockley and his family moved to the United States from England two years ago.

He and his brother Jake, 8, were “best buddies’’ who did everything together and, as both were “confident lads,’’ they had already made many new friends.

Daniel Barden, 7

Daniel Barden was described as ‘‘fearless in the pursuit of happiness in life’’ by his family. He was the youngest of three children and in a statement to the media, his family said Daniel earned his missing two front teeth and ripped jeans.

‘‘Words really cannot express what a special boy Daniel was. Such a light. Always smiling, unfailingly polite, incredibly affectionate, fair and so thoughtful towards others, imaginative in play, both intelligent and articulate in conversation: in all, a constant source of laughter and joy,’’ the family said.

Benjamin Wheeler, 6

Music surrounded Benjamin Wheeler as he grew up in a household where both his mother and father were performers. His mother is a music educator and singer-songwriter, his father a former film and television actor.

Anne Marie Murphy, 52

A happy soul. A good mother, wife and daughter. Artistic, fun-loving, witty and hardworking. Remembering their daughter, Anne Marie Murphy, her parents had no shortage of adjectives to offer Newsday.

Authorities told the couple their daughter was a hero who helped shield some of her students from the rain of bullets.

Rachel D’Avino, 29

D’Avino was a behavioral therapist who had only recently started working at the school where she was killed, according to Lissa Lovetere Stone, a friend.

Lovetere Stone said she met D’Avino in 2005 when D’Avino was assigned to her son, who has autism, in their town of Bethlehem. D’Avino, 29, was so dedicated she’d make home visits and constantly offered guidance on handling situations such as helping her son deal with loud music at a wedding.

‘‘Her job didn’t end when the school bell rang at 3 o’clock,’’ Lovetere Stone said.

Days before the Connecticut shooting rampage, the boyfriend of Rachel D’Avino had asked her parents for permission to marry her. He planned to propose on Christmas Eve.

Jesse Lewis, 6

Jesse Lewis had hot chocolate with his favorite breakfast sandwich — sausage, egg, and cheese — at the neighborhood deli before going to school Friday morning. Jesse’s family has a collection of animals he enjoyed playing with, and he was learning to ride horseback.

Family friend Barbara McSperrin told the Wall Street Journal that Jesse was ‘‘a typical 6-year-old little boy, full of life.’’

Josephine Gay, 7

This photo featured on a Facebook memorial site shows Josephine Gay, 7.

Charlotte Bacon, 6

‘‘She was going to go some places in this world,’’ her uncle said. ‘‘This little girl could light up the room for anyone.’’

Chase Kowalski, 7

Chase Kowalski was always outside, playing in the backyard, riding his bicycle. Just last week, he was visiting a neighbor, telling him about completing — and winning — his first mini-triathlon.

James Mattioli, 6

James Mattioli especially loved recess and math, and his family described him as a ‘‘numbers guy’’ who came up with insights beyond his years to explain the relationship between numbers. He particularly loved the concept of googolplex, which a friend taught him.

He was born four weeks before his due date, and his family often joked that he came into the world early because he was hungry. They wrote in his obituary that 6-year-old James, fondly called “J,’’ loved hamburgers with ketchup, his Dad’s egg omelets with bacon, and his Mom’s french toast. He often asked to stop at Subway and wanted to know how old he needed to be to order a footlong sandwich.

He loved sports and wore shorts and T-shirts no matter the weather. He was a loud and enthusiastic singer and once asked, ‘‘How old do I have to be to sing on a stage?’’

Ana Marquez-Greene, 6

A year ago, Ana Marquez-Greene was reveling in holiday celebrations with her extended family on her first trip to Puerto Rico. The girl’s grandmother, Elba Marquez, said the family moved to Connecticut just two months ago, drawn from Canada, in part, by Sandy Hook’s sterling reputation.

Caroline Previdi, 6

This photo of Caroline Previdi, is featured on a Facebook memorial site.

Olivia Engel, 6

Olivia loved school, did very well in math and reading, and was ‘‘insightful for her age,’’ said the statement released by her uncle, John Engel. Creative with drawing and designing, she was also a tennis and soccer player and took art classes, swimming, and dance lessons in ballet and hip hop.

‘‘She was a great big sister and was always very patient with her 3-year-old brother, Brayden,’’ her family said, recalling that her favorite colors were purple and pink. Olivia was learning the rosary and always led grace before the family dinner. ‘‘She was a grateful child who was always appreciative and never greedy,’’ the family said.

Jessica Rekos

‘‘Jessica loved everything about horses,’’ her parents said. ‘‘She devoted her free time to watching horse movies, reading horse books, drawing horses, and writing stories about horses.’’ The Rekoses described their daughter as ‘‘a creative, beautiful little girl who loved playing with her little brothers, Travis and Shane.

‘‘She spent time writing in her journals, making up stories, and doing ‘research’ on orca whales — one of her passions after seeing the movie ‘Free Willy’ last year.’’ Her dream of seeing a real orca was realized in October when she went to SeaWorld.

Jessica, first born in the family, ‘‘was our rock,’’ the parents said. ‘‘She had an answer for everything, she didn’t miss a trick, and she outsmarted us every time.’’ A thoughtful planner, she was ‘‘our little CEO.’’

Grace McDonnell, 7

Grace McDonnell was the “love and light’’ of her family. Her parents, Lynn and Chris McDonnell, said they could not believe the outpouring of support they have received. Their daughter was the center of their lives and was always smiling, they said. “Words cannot adequately express our sense of loss.’’

Her grandmother, Mary Ann McDonnell, told the Boston Herald she is devastated. The little girl used to love playing dress-up with her grandmother’s jewelry. Her grandmother said Grace loved art projects, soccer, gymnastics, and playing with her King Charles Spaniel, Puddin. She had a 12-year-old brother, Jack.

“A little baby like that — I just hope she didn’t suffer,’’ her grandmother said.

Victoria Soto, 27

The teacher’s name has been invoked again and again as a portrait of selflessness amid unfathomable evil. Those who knew her said they weren’t surprised by reports she shielded her first-graders from danger by hiding them in a closet.

Soto’s mother said her eldest daughter, who had two younger sisters and a brother, used to joke that she was ‘‘the perfect one’’ of the siblings. They got back by calling her ‘‘The Queen V.’’

‘‘She was the best daughter any mother could ask for … She loved her family more than anything. Teaching and her family was her life.’’

Emilie Parker, 6

Quick to cheer up those in need of a smile, Emilie Parker never missed a chance to draw a picture or make a card.

Her father, Robbie Parker, fought back tears as he described the beautiful, blond, always-smiling girl who loved to try new things, except foods. ‘‘I’m so blessed to be her dad,’’ her father said.

Dawn Hochsprung, 47

Dawn Hochsprung’s pride in Sandy Hook Elementary was clear. She regularly tweeted photos from her time as principal there.

‘‘She had an extremely likable style about her,’’ said Gerald Stomski, first selectman of Woodbury, where Hochsprung lived and had taught. ‘‘She was an extremely charismatic principal while she was here.’’

Officials said she died while lunging at the gunman in an attempt to overtake him.

Mary Sherlach, 56

Even as Sherlach neared retirement, her job at Sandy Hook as the school psychologist was one she loved. Those who knew her called her a wonderful neighbor, a beautiful person, a dedicated educator.

Her son-in-law told the South Jersey Times that Sherlach rooted on the Miami Dolphins, enjoyed visiting the Finger Lakes, relished helping children overcome their problems.

Lauren Rousseau, 30

Lauren Rousseau had spent years working as a substitute teacher and doing other jobs. So she was thrilled when she finally realized her goal this fall to become a full-time teacher at Sandy Hook.

‘‘Lauren wanted to be a teacher from before she even went to kindergarten,’’ she said. ‘‘We will miss her terribly and will take comfort knowing that she had achieved that dream.’’

Rousseau has been called gentle, spirited, and active. She was born in Danbury and attended Danbury High, college at the University of Connecticut, and graduate school at the University of Bridgeport.

Nancy Lanza, 52

Police Chief Donald Briggs Jr. said Nancy Lanza was a kind, considerate, and loving person. The former stockbroker at John Hancock in Boston was well-respected, Briggs said.

She was known for the game nights she hosted, the holiday decorations she put up at her house, her love of the Red Sox, and her growing enthusiasm for target shooting.

Noah Pozner, 6

Noah was ‘‘smart as a whip,’’ gentle but with a rambunctious streak, said his uncle. Noah loved to read and liked to figure out how things worked mechanically. Noah’s twin sister Arielle, assigned to a different classroom, survived the shooting. He called her his best friend, and with their 8-year-old sister, Sophia, they were inseparable.

‘‘They were always playing together, they loved to do things together,’’ his uncle said. When his mother, a nurse, would tell him she loved him, he would answer, ‘‘Not as much as I love you, Mom.’’