Janiya Thomas’ relatives receive prayers at annual vigil as mother’s trial nears

The first-degree murder trial of Keishanna Thomas is scheduled to begin Aug. 21 in a case that has captured national attention.

Thomas is charged with killing her 11-year-old daughter, Janiya Thomas, and then hiding her body in a cardboard box inside a padlocked freezer.

Although it will be painful for her to listen to details about how she died, one of Janiya’s relatives on Sunday said it is important she be in the courtroom to honor the memory of Janiya.

“We’ll be there,” Lue Emma Watson said during, “The Second Annual Celebration of Life for Our Angel, Janiya Thomas,” which drew about 30 people to Lincoln Park on Sunday.

The annual vigil was created by community activist Wayne Washington to always fall on the last Sunday of June because that’s a time when kids are out of school and “the sight of them reminds us all to keep them in our thoughts,” Washington said.

Last year’s vigil for Janiya drew “a big old giant crowd,” said vigil attendee Sherry Douglas, but Douglas said it didn’t matter how many came this year, only that they did come.

“That’s OK,” Douglas said. “She still isn’t forgotten.”

Dontrell Smith took the opportunity when people were asked to speak about Janiya, to talk about something positive that could come from her death.

“This was a tragedy that happened to her,” Smith said. “But here we are together. This is the grassroots, right here. Something could come out of this, if we all come together, we can do great things for the children of our community.”

Roald James of Bradenton got applause when he said: “In the African-American community, we need to go back to the village concept where we all take part in raising a child.”

Watson attended the vigil with her daughter-in-law, Latedra Mathis.

“It’s really awesome that they do this vigil to remember her,” Mathis said. “It’s such a heartbreaking thing.”

“She’s a really beautiful girl,” Watson added of Janiya, talking of her in the present tense. “She’s a very, very sweet child.”

Watson said that Keishanna Thomas always said the same thing whenever she inquired about the whereabouts of Janiya.

“She would say that Janiya was with her daddy’s people,” Watson said.

Watson’s mother and Janiya’s grandmother are sisters, Watson added. “I will also feel pain for Janiya’s mama.”

The trial will be tough for many

“God is still in the mix,” said Douglas, who led prayers at the vigil for the family members who must endure the trial. “Everything happens for a reason. I think God is saying to us, ‘What can we do to help someone else?’ That’s what we can do for our community.”

“Janiya has relatives and friends here tonight,” added Douglas. “There are people here who never knew Janiya. But she touched their heart enough that they would come here today.”

Watson said she can’t erase Keishanna Thomas from her heart.

“Even with all that happened I still love her,” Watson said. “The family still loves her. I would tell her to hold her head up and put it in God’s hands.”

Although Watson hasn’t gone to visit Keishanna Thomas at the jail, she said other relatives have.

Janiya Thomas’ body was discovered on Oct. 18, 2015, inside a cardboard box in a padlocked freezer at the home of a relative. Keishanna Thomas had brought the freezer over days before.

Thomas is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and abuse of a dead body. The state is not seeking the death penalty. If convicted, she will automatically be sentenced to life in prison.

This story was originally published June 25, 2017 at 9:43 PM with the headline "Janiya Thomas’ relatives receive prayers at annual vigil as mother’s trial nears."