Mom cries at funeral for 3-year-old son found dead on park swing she’d been pushing
Mom cries at funeral for 3-year-old son found dead on park swing she’d been pushing
At the funeral for her three-year-old son, who was found dead on a Maryland park swing that she’d been pushing for hours, mother Romechia Simms wiped tears from her eyes.
Simms, 24, who was hospitalized for four days after her son was found dead on May 22, sang ‘This Little Light of Mine’ alongside the boy’s father, James ‘Donnell’ Lee, 29, and other mourners at funeral on Friday.
The boy, Ji’Aire Lee was laid out in a white casket surrounded by white roses at First Baptist Church of Highland Park in Landover, Maryland.
As pallbearers carried the casket to a burial site at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton, Maryland, Simms and Lee held hands.
Lee, who lives in southwest Washington DC, had filed for custody of his son in March because he was deeply worried about Simms’s mental stability and believed she needed to get help, according to the Washington Post.
The judge, however, deemed Simms a fit parent, and on May 11 the parents agreed to share custody – Lee would have his son on the weekends while Simms took him during the week.
Eleven days later, Ji-Aire was found dead, being pushed by his mother in a playground swing in La Plata, Maryland.
The cause of death has not been determined and Ji’Aire’s body showed no signs of trauma. No charges have been filed against Simms.
Ji’Aire and Simms were discovered by Charles County sheriff’s deputies after a neighbor who had seen them the night before called the police. Detectives are still investigating the incident.
Simms suffers from depression and bipolor disorder and had ‘some kind of psychotic episode’ in the park, her mother, Vontasha Simms, 47, said.
She had also suffered a mental breakdown in February and does not remember what happened in the park at the time her son’s death, family members told the Washington Post.
The funeral program included a letter that Simms had written to Ji’Aire: ‘Son, the joy you brought to my life is unexplainable… I miss you so much Ji’Aire, way more than I could possibly express through words.
‘I am slowly accepting your passing. I want you to know that I have always been extremely proud of you, and I love you until the end of time. Ji’Aire Donnell Lee you are amazing. Love always, Mommy.’
Lee also expressed his grief in the program with a prayer: ‘Precious God, I know you gave your precious Son to give us life with You.
‘But I didn’t want our son to leave cause he was precious too. We all are special in your eyes and all to you return. We know our son will not come back and for this our hearts still yearn…
‘Our precious son is with you, and there will be a day that we too will leave this earth and you will light our way.
‘His arms will be wide open and the wait will be worthwhile when we see again our precious son, and the splendor of his smile. Love you forever — Dad.’
Gospel music filled the air during the funeral, as photos of Ji’Aire as a newborn, crawling baby and young toddler flashed across video screens.
His obituary read: ‘He loved bossing his cousin Jhai around and taking over his PS4. He loved watching movies with his parents such as Scooby Doo, Austin Powers (his favorite lines to quote are “Yeah Baby” and “Ohh Behave”).
