One year later: Community holds candlelight vigil for Aliahna Lemmon

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Wings of Innocence organized a candlelight vigil honoring the life of Aliahna Lemmon on the one year anniversary of her death.

"I remember last year when she went missing, and it was just heart breaking, so I wanted to have a part in remembering her," Lisa Burgh, a member of Wings of Innocence, said.

Community members gathered Saturday evening in the garden dedicated to Aliahna at Holland Elementary School, Aliahna's old school.

"It's very tragic what happened, but it's also good to see how this community has come together to support her and her family," Marc Rumpf, a Fort Wayne resident, said.

Wings of Innocence organized the candlelight vigil to celebrate the positive memories of the girl's life. People sang songs, read poems, and prayed together. Some of the people shared memories of Aliahna. They said she loved her sisters and was a great student. However, the pain of what happened was still present.

"I would never send [my kids] off to a babysitter if I was sick or whatever like that," Dawn Schultz, a member of Wings of Innocence, said.

In the wake of the Newtown shooting, many people said they are still disgusted and hurt that anyone could do these things to children.

"I'm thinking, I have a son that could have happened to, so it really pulls the heart strings," Burgh said.

The group also said they are trying to pass a law to make punishments for crimes against children in Indiana more severe.