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Woman charged with hate crime for allegedly vandalizing Denver church

A woman accused of vandalizing a Catholic church was charged with committing a hate crime on Thursday, the Denver District Attorney’s Office announced.

The Cathedral Basilica of Immaculate Conception in Denver was vandalized on Oct. 20 with several messages spray-painted on the church building and statues, causing around $10,000 in damages. The District Attorney’s Office said many of the messages were “consistent with anti-Christian bias.”

The spray-painted messages included “child rapists,” “Jesus was here,” “Satan lives here,” “white supremacists,” “KKK,” “love wins,” “let my children free” and drawings of an upside-down cross and an Illuminati eye symbol.

Madeline Cramer, 26 of Denver, was arrested Wednesday in connection to the vandalism. In addition to the bias-motivated crime charge, Cramer was charged with one count of criminal mischief.

Cramer was identified as a suspect in the vandalism through her car and license plate, which were captured by surveillance cameras from a medical marijuana business and Thai restaurant across the street, according to the arrest affidavit. Cramer allegedly fled to Oregon but turned herself in to law enforcement Wednesday night.

Father Samuel Morehead of Cathedral Basilica said he is happy the district attorney is pursuing the case as a hate crime. He said the attorney’s office told him Cramer was released from custody on bond but was ordered to stay away from the church.

“I can see bias and bigotry in what she did and what she wrote,” Morehead said. “She seems a very disturbed young lady.”

Morehead said the church received donations from people across the country to help them clean up the vandalism, though they had to dip into the church’s savings to reach the full $10,000.

The morning after the vandalism, mothers were scrubbing off obscene language that had been spray-painted on the sidewalks, saying they didn’t want children going to church to be exposed to see it, Morehead said.

Cramer is also accused of walking into Littleton’s St. Francis Cabrini Church and yelling, “You are all worshipping Satan!” and “Black lives matter!” before being escorted out of the church by security. That incident happened only two hours after the vandalization. Morehead said police confirmed to him that Cramer was responsible for the disruption, but no charges are being filed.

Cramer appeared in court for her first advisement Thursday morning. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 14.

Madeline Ann Cramer. (Photo courtesy of the Denver District Attorney's Office)
Madeline Ann Cramer. (Photo courtesy of the Denver District Attorney’s Office)
The bronze front doors of Denver's downtown Basilica were cleaned at a cost of $10,000. People from all over the country sent in money when they read about the graffiti incident. (Carol McKinley)
The bronze front doors of Denver’s downtown Basilica were cleaned at a cost of $10,000. People from all over the country sent in money when they read about the graffiti incident. (Carol McKinley)
Father Samuel Morehead points to the three-sides of the Pope John Paul II statue which the District Attorney says were spray painted by the suspect.
Father Samuel Morehead points to the three-sides of the Pope John Paul II statue which the District Attorney says were spray painted by the suspect. “She wrote despicable things.” (Carol McKinley)
Denver police told Father Morehead that halo cameras placed on street lights took photos of the suspect's car from Broadway in Denver south to Littleton where they say she walked into a second church and yelled during a Sunday service. (Carol McKinley)
Denver police told Father Morehead that halo cameras placed on street lights took photos of the suspect’s car from Broadway in Denver south to Littleton where they say she walked into a second church and yelled during a Sunday service. (Carol McKinley)


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