Mourners honor four slain Louisville children at memorial
By Laura Ungar
[email protected]
The Courier-Journal
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Children gathered yesterday near a makeshift memorial outside the Iroquois Homes apartment where four siblings were killed Friday. (By Michael Clevenger, The Courier-Journal) |
Behind them lay a pile of stuffed animals, silk flowers and sympathy cards.
"They were easy to make friends with," said 11-year-old Lamondrey Clemons, who lives in the Iroquois Homes apartments and joined more than 75 others for a memorial service sponsored by the Nation of Islam in Louisville. "We should give our respect to them."
Next to him sat 11-year-old Jaquarius McNeil, who also lives in the apartment, where the murders occurred. He expressed the mood of the children: "I'm feeling sad."
Osman Noor, the 26-year-old brother of the children's mother, stood with the crowd. He said his sister, Fatuma Amir, remains in University Hospital with a cut on her neck. He said she won't speak, except to say "I miss my children," and repeat their names over and over.
"The children were beautiful," Noor said. "They were wonderful children. We miss them today."
In their memory, Priestess Neferu Sanders of the Ancient Kemetic Culture lit four candles -- two red and two white -- saying light represents hope and knowledge, and dispels darkness. They burned near the makeshift memorial, along with incense that wafted into the crowd.
The crowd included children and adults, Muslims and non-Muslims, residents who are black and those who are white.
Jerald Muhammad, minister of the Nation of Islam in Louisville, emphasized that the tragedy has affected the entire community. He pointed to the irony that the crime occurred during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims are forbidden even to quarrel.
"We're here today to mourn the loss of beautiful children whose time was cut short on this earth," he said, later summoning his 9-year-old son, dressed in a crisp white suit, to stand by his side. "As a father myself, I don't understand how a father can do this to his own children."
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Christopher 2X, left, comforted Osman Noor, the uncle of the slain children, yesterday at the vigil at Iroquois Homes apartments. (By Michael Clevenger, The Courier-Journal) |
Some of the children's playmates from the apartment complex said the siblings were sometimes teased because they were different. But Lamondrey said he and many of the children accepted them for who they were.
"God just made everybody different," Lamondrey said.
He recalled the day the siblings taught him to play a game with rocks in a circle. Other children also remembered the games they used to play -- how the older ones didn't want to play basketball but loved to shoot pool.
Jaquarius had trouble understanding why a parent would hurt a child. "If it was between them two (the parents)," he asked, "why did he take it out on the kids?"
After the Nation of Islam service, some mourners stayed, and more arrived, for a service by the group No Murders Metro. The family of a child who attended Stonestreet Elementary School with the eldest of the slain siblings brought two potted flowers. One had a child's drawing attached, with the symbols "XOXOX" for hugs and kisses.
Several prayers were offered, and people bowed their heads. The Rev. Joe Phelps of Highland Baptist Church in Louisville said: "Bring healing, we pray."
As they listened and prayed, several parents in the crowd hugged their children tight.
Reporter Laura Ungar can be reached at (502) 582-7190.
Source: The Courier-Journal, Oct. 10, 2006