Melissa Huckaby, 28, a local minister's granddaughter, is on suicide watch in an observation cell at the San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp, sheriff's Deputy Les Garcia said this afternoon.

Huckaby, arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, refuses to see visitors, Garcia said. Jail records did not indicate whether she had an attorney.

Huckaby graduated from West High School in 1998 and worked four four years as a checker at a Food for Less grocery store on Tracy Boulevard, just east of the mobile park, until she was fired sometime in 2004, said Matt Duncan, an assistant manager at the store now known as FoodMaxx.

"I wouldn't have anything bad to say about her, until now," he said. "I would've never suspected her to do something like this."

Huckaby was scheduled to appear in court next Friday to check in with a county mental health program as part of a three-year probation sentence for a petty theft to which she pleaded no contest. She told the Tracy Press on Friday that someone else by the same name was facing charges for the attempted theft in November from a Target store.

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokeswoman Terry Thornton said Huckaby has no state prison record.

Meanwhile, about 500 mourners stopped by Fry Memorial Chapel today to pay their respects to Sandra. Visitors are allowed to go in, sit and watch a slideshow with dozens of family photos of Sandra, leave gifts, pray and sign a guestbook.

Visiting hours will continue 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and Monday.

Sandra's memorial service at 1 p.m. Thursday is expected to draw thousands of people, with parking space for only 500. It will be at in the West High School gym and cafeteria, 1775 W. Lowell Road, in Tracy.