BLOUNT COUNTY, Ala. — For the loved ones of 19-year-old Madison Hoese, the past eight months can be described in one sentence.
"It's brutal, it's been brutal," Gary Hoese, Madison's father, said.
Madison, known as Maddie by her friends and family, was killed in a wreck at East Lincoln Road and Southbound Hall Road in Alcoa on March 22. The crash happened just before 6 a.m. while Maddie was on her way to work at a Maryville Dunkin Donuts.
Two 16-year-old boys are accused of escaping Tennessee Department of Children's Services custody in Louisville the night before, stealing a truck, betting truck, and t-boning Maddie's vehicle, according to testimony from a probable cause hearing held over the past two weeks in Blount County Juvenile Court.
Juvenile Court Judge Kenlyn Foster ruled Thursday there is probable cause to charge two 16-year-old boys with felony murder, leaving the scene of an accident causing death and theft of property in Maddie's death.
Even though eight months have passed, Maddie's family and friends are still hurting.
Memorials for her are set up at the Dunkin Donuts in Maryville.
"She just had so many friends and touched so many lives in her short 19 years," Cassondra Smith, Madison's mother, said.
Gary said life without Maddie is terrible and that he misses doing everything with her.
Maddie's little sister, Sophia Hoese, said the time they spent together was special.
"She used to take me to basketball games, and we would jam to 2016 rap," Sophia said.
Maddie's sister, stepdad, mom and friends have tattoos in her honor.
Smith said it's her faith that keeps the family going.
"I've heard so many stories from people that's told me things that she's helped them with," Smith said. "It's been a blessing."
Maddie also worked at Ulta in Maryville as a hairstylist, and Smith said she's thankful to Ulta and surrounding businesses like FiveBelow and Kirklands for the support they've shown their family.
Gary said he wants to see the teens tried as adults and hopes his daughter's case makes it to lawmakers. The family wants a law to be passed to alert people if someone's escaped DCS custody, so they can be extra cautious.
"So it doesn't happy to anybody else," he said. "And I think if these kids are in DCS custody, with the record these kids had, they should be housed a little bit differently. They shouldn't be able to just walk out the front door."