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Family Photo: Shaniya Davis |
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Today at 3:00 p.m. ET, the Shaniya Davis funeral was held at Manna Church on 5117 Cliffdale Road in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The Shaniya Davis funeral was open to the public and was streamed live on the web. Before the service started, photos displayed on the overhead screen of Shaniya with her father, Bradley Lockhart. Bradley Lockhart could be seen surrounded by supporters who offered him hugs and condolences.
The service began with a song, I’m Depending on You. The words gave strength and comfort as they focused on going through tragic and difficult situations, but depending upon Jesus Christ throughout them. Throughout the service, mention was made of Shaniya Davis’ father, Bradley Lockhart’s firm commitment to his faith and his dependence upon Jesus. He has often spoken of mercy and grace and finding the strength from God to find forgiveness for those who brutally took his daughter away from him.
After the song, 2 Corinthians 5 was read. “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” The Biblical passage focused on life after death and to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. The message reaffirmed the faith and belief that Shaniya is in heaven, without pain, sorrow, or grief.
After the Bible reading, a prayer was made. The prayer asked for forgiveness, and then sought comfort for the family of Shaniya Davis while their hearts are filled with sorrow. During the prayer, the minister thanked God for the life of Shaniya Davis and the joy and comfort that she gave her family during her brief time on earth.
Another song was sung, this time with a children’s choir. It was easy to imagine Shaniya Davis joining in with the other children singing praises and adding her voice to the chorus, “I will Bless the Lord at All Times.”
Following the song, reflections were given by Shaniya’s uncle, brother, Aunt Carey Lockhart-Davis, and father Bradley Lockhart. Shaniya’s Uncle asked why a price had been placed upon Shaniya. He asked through raw pain why Shaniya had to pay for the wrong actions of adults in her life. Shaniya’s brother Byron came up next to speak. He was too overwhelmed with emotion and couldn’t share, he returned to his seat.
Shaniya Davis’ Aunt Carey was next to speak at the funeral. She had written a poem titled, “My Life with Shaniya.” It recounted the many wonderful moments that she had experienced with the niece that she had become especially close to. Bradley Lockhart followed and requested that the community take the initiative to reach out to the community with brotherly love and to help prevent future tragedies like Shaniya’s by getting involved. He walked over to Shaniya’s casket, and laid one hand on its top. He looked over at it and told his beloved daughter that they would be reunited again one day.
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Comments
This poor baby.
Rest in peace, sweet baby! The world loves you and mourns your loss.
Shaniya, you made us cry and realize that we should care more for each other. So we will not have to lose someone as beautiful and wonderful as you ever again.
R.i.P God has Better Plans For You BabyGirl....
aww, rip Shaniya, so beautiful ,your in a better place
Rest In Peace God's little angel..You are in God's loving care now and safe from all harm...
We need to have harsher laws on child abuse....life without parole when a child is abused and in the case where the child is murdered..that person or persons involved should get the death penalty
And the welfare system needs to wake up...stop taking coffee breaks and putting on their answering machines all day long and do something about getting these children out of these abusive homes..Please stop turning your backs on child abuse and child neglect and be on the side of children not the side of the abuser..
The welfare child protection agency is a disgrace in my hometown and there need to be workers who care about the children who are being abused and neglected...
To many children are dying from abuse and being abused and something needs be done about that quickly!
such a shame. beautiful little angel. her mother who is supposed to be her protector needs to burn in hell and her murder needs to burn in hell i hope they beat his monkey azz in jail everyday from morning til night and he never gets relief
i didnt know her but i loved her like if i had did. its so sad to see a little baby go through so much hell.i have 2 little cousin that is not to much older than her and i thank god that there mother will never do such a thing.i pray for the dad and pray for the mother cause she is bout to go to through all kind of hell in jail. i love shniya and i love her daddy cause of the point that he loved his daughter so much.it hurts me so muchy to see that being done to a baby. i cryed everynight in my bed to hope that she would make it but the momment i heared i broke down into tears.i hope that mother get her butt beat more than ever and more than once.i hope she rot in hell.
we love you shaniya and we will missed you
i'll write you soon
My prayers are with the family. May GOD surround them with love and guidance through this rough time and may mercy rest on that Father. He loved his baby girl so sad...
R.I.P. Shaniya heaven needed another little angel
No more pain
I have to express my condolsences to The Lockhart Family. Shaniya
was and still is an Angel. I observed Shaniya's funeral and I must say how the Lord is working. I truly hated her attackers and wish them both the death penalty, but I know GOD is and has been working in this tragedy and I have forgiven them and taken this malice has been taken from my heart. Believe it GOD lead them to Shaniya's body, but He has her soul. She is in better place in GOD Hands. Be strong and watch Him work.
Love to All of You.
I cried for Shaniya as if she were my own. I feel such sorrow in my heart for this innocent, defenseless child. It's horrible to know that there are people so vicious in this world to do something so terrible to such a beautiful child. My prayers for The Lockhart Famiy that God give them the strength to get through this situation and that God gives them strength to deal with the challenges they face in the coming months with the trial against these animals that did such horrific things to this angel. May Shaniya rest in peace and may her beautiful smile and loving memory live in their hearts forever. We need to do something as a community, as a country as family and friends to prevent these tragic situations to happen to our children.
R.I.P Shaniya Davis..she went through a lot in the world. Not even knowing what was going on. Her mother was suppose to be her protector and she let this happen. Never was she that. I pray for the daddy and family for their lost. Keep you all heads up. Remember Shaniya is now a angel looking down on you all.
My heart goes out to the family for losing a love one who is so young and not having the chance to experience life. This child was taken because the demons in this world are oblivious to how precious life is. God has wrapped this child in his arms to protect her from all the hurt and pain and the people who are responsible will not go unpunished
RIP baby girl
It really hurts me to see an adult would possibly have thoughts and actually take actions to have molested and strangled this sweet innocent child. RIP Shaniya, we love you.
Mr. Lockhart, we cried along with you and we are still mourning with you. It also made us realize that we should take extra good care of "our kids"...when I mean "our kids", I mean the whole entire country! AMERICA IS OUR CHILDREN, LETS TAKE CARE OF OUR KIDS!!!!! Lets all help each other and take care of our children!
Excuse me all of the outpouring of love and concern is wonderful. However, where were all these people when that horrible person was carrying that precious child off to do God only knows what to her.
This child is in heaven and will no longer feel pain. My heart felt sympathy goes out to the family. I have been so touched by this I have a five year old daughter and I have grieved as if this was my daughter. The GUILTY will pay. An eye for an eye!
Rest in peace Beautiful baby girl. I have little boys around her age and Ive been mourning and crying daily for you darling. I wish I could share a cell with her and that evil devil for a few days. I would hurt them real bad. The only thing that keep me from more evil thinking is the fact that our FATHER Jesus, the King of the home Shaniya has gone said that it is not HIS will that any of us perish and that this animal is forgiven. That is the only reason I pitty him and this wannaB mom. They never deserved you darling Shaniya. I wish she would have just dropped you off to me or somewhere and I would have taken you to your Daddy. Rest in peace precious lovely angel. You are in Heaven now.
Baby u r in a better place away from the monsters that hurt u. How could anyone do this to a child? She was so beautiful she didnt deserve that. And to think a mother 2 sell her own child... There are some sick people in this world. There are people in this world who cant have kids, and here is a mother who did appreciate the gift GOD gave her. R.I.P. babygirl i know u r smiling down on us.
I look into my daughter's eye and I can't help but to think about why would ANYONE hurt an innocent defenseless child. I don't believe in death penalty either but I can't lie and say that crazy & insane thoughts about the things we can do to these heartless people doesn't go through my mind. Baby girl, I didn't have to meet you to tell you I love you, I do it because I am a parent, I am a human being. There are no words to ease your family's pain and emptiness, but please know that the world's prayers are with you all. RIP Princess
i am do grateful that GOD took this beautiful child home to live with HIM in heaven....I pray for her father and the rest of her family daily...as for her mother, Antoinette Davis, I hope she rots in HELL!
ihope this man who done this to this poor innocent little girl rots in hell .and the same treatment on him from jail... why?what was he trying to prove ,except he is a low scum, waste of skin ,save the court costs .. .i wonder what goes through a persons mind to able to do this.?
HEr preciousness is now with the most high God.
With tears in my eyes at every told moment of the brutality forced upon this little angel, I pray... I pray for God to take care of her father, family and her soul. She is with the Lord. I also pray for God to give me the strength to evade hatred for her biological donor and the sub-human that she handed someone's precious little girl to. Oh, I pray... Amen.
my heart turly goes out to the family... i really hate the fact that her mother sold her own child... and it really hurts to know that a human could do that to a incent little girl i watch Nancy Grace every night every since Shaniya came up missing i also want to let you know that you are not alone...
love and peace
Love u :(
Shaniya sweetheart angel you're in a better place where God angel is taking care of you my mother in heaven will look out for you,and I know you got a pretty smile on your beautiful face you will be dearly missed! Love you and rest in peace.
I still think about Shaniya a lot. I have a 4 year old daughter named Shaniya and remember family members calling me to see if my daughter was o.k. I can never imagine what kind of mother could knowingly hurt their child for profit. For a lifetime her mother will have to remeber what she has done and it is up to God to handle what happens to her and her killer. If anyone feels like a child is in danger please get involved! Children need us to help protect them!
shaniyah davis would never hurt nobody god bless her
My heart goes out to the Lockhart and Davis family, tho we are mile away from each other and dont know each other, my heart still aches for what this angel of God had to go thru. It hurts to know how a mother would do her own flesh and blood. It had me in tears to watch the homegoing and it touched me very deeply that words can not explain. Little Angel Shaniya, you will always be in out hearts forever. I know your in good hands now and will never have to worry about anything. God has taken you under his wings and now i know u have your own, you will be the angel that the world has come to know as Angel Shaniya. Enjoy your eternal life with the Lord and may the heavens be your playground. R.I.P. BABY ANGEL SHANIYA N.DAVIS
R.I.P SHANIYA DAVIS UR LOVE IS MII LOVE...........I KANT BELIEVE DAT UR OWN MAMA WILL SELL UR BDY.........ND HAVE SUMBDY 2 KILL YU 4 SUM MONEY....SHE DWN BAD........BOOSIE................. $$$$ R.I.P SHANIYA DAVIS$$$$
baby u are in a better place
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