NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) Parents and other family members of children and educators killed at Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School have made one last visit to a memorial to the victims.

Police escorted the group on Friday to the massive memorial of candles, handwritten cards from around the world, stuffed animals and countless other expressions of grief and condolences.

The Hearst Connecticut Media Group reports that after the families left, a town crew began removing the snow-covered memorial.

On Saturday morning, 15 days after the shooting deaths, the mementos were gone.

The town has said biodegradable materials such as flowers will be composted into soil. Non-biodegradable materials will be ground up and combined with a cement slurry to make blocks for a future memorial.