SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- A 15-year-old California boy charged as an adult with kidnapping and killing his 8-year-old neighbor has pleaded not guilty.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Adrian Gonzalez entered his plea Monday to charges in Madyson Middleton's death. He also has been accused of sexually assaulting the girl.

His public defender, Larry Biggam, told reporters that his job is to ensure Gonzalez receives a fair trial.

Gonzalez and Madyson both lived at the Tannery Arts Center, a housing complex for artists in the beach town of Santa Cruz. She was reported missing July 26 and her body was discovered inside a recycling bin the following night after an extensive search.

Police say the teen lured Madyson into his family's apartment, where police say she was tied up, beaten, raped, and then dumped into a nearby recycling bin where she died of positional asphyxiation, reports the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

Outside court, the girl's father, Mike Middleton, called the child a "sweet angel" said he had "already forgiven" the teen suspect, reports the paper.

"Justice will happen regardless of what I think. It's not up to me," he told reporters. "I think Madyson would want it this way, would want for me to not have hatred and anger. You just don't want this to happen again."

Public defender Leila Sayar told reporters that she would have preferred a fitness hearing to determine whether Gonzalez would be tried as an adult, according to the paper.

"I want to express my deepest condolences to Maddy's parents and family," Sayar told the paper. "This incident has resulted in the tragic loss of two kids from our community."

Gonzalez faces life in prison if convicted.