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Vigil held for 8-year-old Kendrick Lee, little boy whose body was found a year after he was killed


HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A vigil was held Saturday in honor of 8-year-old Kendrick Lee, the little boy whose physique was discovered Sunday, a yr after he was overwhelmed to demise inside a west Harris County house complicated alongside along with his deserted brothers.

Alief neighborhood activist Joseph Dinnon, also called Capo Joe, was one of many audio system on the weekend occasion. He mentioned it was essential for the neighborhood to return collectively to grieve and honor the kid’s reminiscence whereas standing collectively to name for justice and alter.

“We bought to return collectively and we have now to talk up,” Dinnon mentioned. “There have been individuals in these residences that did communicate up, what I am saying, however like I used to be telling them, typically it’s a must to go above and past.”

In response to Harris County Sheriff’s Workplace, Lee was overwhelmed to demise shortly earlier than Thanksgiving final yr. His physique was left in an house alongside along with his three brothers, who investigators mentioned have been deserted and compelled to fend for themselves for nearly a yr.

Hedy Carter mentioned she has recognized the household for greater than 40 years and even watched the boys’ mom, Gloria Williams, develop up.

Carter mentioned she made a number of makes an attempt to contact Williams over the previous yr, and at one level, her calls have been blocked.

“This week has simply been horrific,” Carter mentioned. “It is heart-wrenching, devastating and we’re attempting to simply day-by-day make it by means of this ordeal. Each time we would get near her (Williams), she’d go. Get shut, she’d go. We did not perceive why on the time, however as you see this complete yr of occasions, we all know why now. She did not need anyone to know what had occurred, the way it occurred, when it occurred, so we have been like ‘What is going on on?'”

Carter described Lee as an obedient, candy and loving little boy.

Among the many crowd on the vigil, was 10-year-old Josh Todd. Todd used to play with the younger boys when his grandmother lived on the house complicated. His mom, Shadarra Todd, mentioned they needed to attend Saturday’s occasion to pay their respects.

“It is robust,” Todd mentioned. “These kids are going to have it arduous, almost certainly, the rest of their lives, so it is positively heartbreaking.”

Todd mentioned she’s needed to have robust conversations together with her son about what to do and the right way to communicate up when one thing is occurring.

“Bringing my baby out right here to let him know, all of those youngsters, that they’re beloved,” Todd mentioned. “That they’ve somebody to go to. The neighborhood got here out at the moment. Even in the event you really feel like you’ll be able to’t go to your mother and father, , perhaps speak to a pal, speak to a neighbor. If one thing is ever happening, speak to a trainer. It’s a must to let somebody know.”

Matthew Mouton created a customized tribute for Kendrick Lee that learn, ‘Defend Our Kids’ together with photos of the 8-year-old, surrounded by candles and mementoes.

“I do not need these kids’s names or faces to be forgotten,” Mouton mentioned. “Simply cease the violence. Day by day after I create one in all these, and I believe it may be the final one, and it is at all times two, three, 4, 5, and it is getting uncontrolled, and we have to come collectively as a neighborhood and cease it.”

Sources to report baby abuse or neglect:

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS)

24-hour, toll-free abuse hotline, 1-800-252-5400.

The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline

24-hour, 7-days every week nationwide hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD or 1-800-422-4453.

RELATED STORIES:

9-year-old has been dead inside SW Houston apartment for a year, 3 other kids were abandoned: HCSO

Mother, boyfriend arrested in connection with 8-year-old’s decomposing body, abandoned brothers

Brothers describe 8-year-old boy’s beating death in their family home in new court details

Grandmother says woman accused in own child’s murder is ‘not a mother’

Observe Roxie Bustamante on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

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