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Jazmine Barnes, the 7-year-old who was killed in a senseless Houston drive-by shooting, was laid to rest today at Community of Faith Church.
Her gleaming white casket had “Jazmine ‘Jazzy Fay’ Barnes” printed in purple on the side. A heap of purple and white flowers cascaded over her casket as pallbearers wheeled little Jazmine into the church sanctuary.
According to CNN, the inside of the casket had pink hearts nestled alongside the words “Princess Jazmine,” and the second-grader was dressed as any 7-year-old princess would be. A bejeweled headpiece was interwoven into her carefully braided hair. Jazmine was outfitted in all pink.
A viewing ceremony for family began two hours before the memorial service. According to the Houston Chronicle, Bishop James Dixon of the Community of Faith Church, held a press conference with the Sheriff’s Department on Sunday to address how the investigation was progressing and how to move forward.
“I will implore the community, both locally and national, to have a conversation with all of our young people about the sanctity of life,” Dixon said. “We’re hoping the grief of this moment will turn into the power to make the world a safer place for every child.”
READ MORE: Grieving father of Jazmine Barnes speaks on the arrest of two suspects in fatal shooting
The Search for Answers
Jazmine was shot in the head as her mother drove her and her siblings on a shopping trip. Others were injured, but she was the only fatality. After a confusing first couple days with the sketch of a white man in a red truck being circulated as as suspect, a 20-year-old Black man named Eric Black Jr. confessed to being involved with the crime.
Black is being held without bail on capital murder charges. A second suspect, Larry Woodruffe, has been identified by Harris County prosecutors. Woodruffe is currently in jail on drug possession charges unrelated to the shooting, but is under investigation for this crime.
According to the police, Black said Jazmine’s shooting was a case of mistaken identity. Black and his accomplice thought someone who they had a physical altercation with was in the car containing Jazmine and her family
Jazmine’s father, Christopher Cevilla, recently spoke about the situation. “Now my baby has gotten justice,” he said. “Now we can properly put her to rest without having to put her to rest and we’re still on a manhunt looking for a suspect.”