Love poured out on Friday as family, friends and classmates gathered to say their final goodbyes to nine-year-old J’layna Armstrong, the youngest victim of the tragic shooting along the Lady Young Road in Morvant.
The funeral service for J’layna Armstrong was held at St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Newtown on Friday.
The young star was one of four people shot and killed along the Lady Young Road in Morvant on April 19th.
Loved ones recalled their favourite memories of their nine-year old treasure, while her Newtown Girls RC schoolmates honoured her life through poetry, dance and song.
One tribute captured the essence of the child many came to know and love.
“She was the perfect mix of kind, deeply loving, and as many of you know she was wonderfully sassy but never rude she knew exactly who she was and she wasn’t afraid to show it.”
Amidst the tragedy, and as this country continues to grapple with crime, came an appeal for citizens to speak up, and for parents to do their part.
“Because when we allow our little ones that don’t belong to them we setting the precedence, that they could do bigger and bigger things, hear me let me get an Amen, we are setting a precedence for them to do bigger things and when they reach to a stage where they can take an innocent life, we say life unfair, “God, where were you?”, “What’s happening?” But in the silence of loss, with the new reality, it means that it comes down to you and it comes down to me.”
For some, J’layna’s outspoken nature shone brightest.
For others, it was her love for culture and pageantry, or simply her unique gift of making people smile.