12-year-old Clevelander Davia Garth is laid to rest, Garth was shot and killed, allegedly by her stepfather, Rufus Gray, during a domestic dispute with her mother Sonya Garth-Gray

12-year-old Davia Garth

By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper and Newspaper Blog  Kathy Wray Coleman is  a community activist and 21-year investigative journalist who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper. (www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)

Booking photo of suspected child murderer
Rufus Gray

CLEVELAND, Ohio -Hundreds turned out for the funeral of 12-year-old Davia Garth on Sat., Nov 8 at at Body of Christ Church on Miles Road on Cleveland's largely Black east side.

Garth was murdered on Oct. 30 at the family home on Cleveland's east side, allegedly at the hands of her stepfather, Rufus Gray, 59, who is currently in custody and facing aggravated murder and other charges.

At Saturday's heart wrenching funeral Davia Garth' principal, Willie Banks III,  teachers and students at her middle school of Hope Academy North Coast remembered her as a happy child who got along with her teachers and peers and who always spoke while passing in the hallways .

Banks described Davia as a loving child and respectful student who was "the light at the end of the tunnel."

The Rev Terry Buckner, Davia's cousin, delivered the eulogy and other scheduled speakers include Yvonne Pointer, a community relations liaison for the city of Cleveland whose 14-year-old daughter, Gloria Pointer, was raped and murdered 30-years ago on her way home from  school, also on Cleveland's east side.

Her killer, Hernadez Warren, 59, is serving a life sentence for murder and a host of convictions relative to his guilty plea in 2013, which came just months after DNA finally linked him to the crime.

Cleveland police say Gray shot and killed Davia Garth and wounded his wife, Sonya Garth-Gray. Davia Garth's older brother wrestled the gun away from his stepfather. 

Garth-Gray was treated at a local hospital and later released, some of the bullets still lodged in her arms. 

Gray had been arrested for domestic violence and released from jail with no charges weeks earlier. He was released even though he was still on probation for a domestic attack against his wife, a Cleveland 19 Action News report reveals.

At the time of the murder, Garth was under a court-ordered protective order. 

Greater Cleveland community activists want answers on why Gray was not charged and held in jail on the latest complaint from his estranged wife, Garth-Gray.

A fund has been set up in the Davia Garth's name at Fifth Third Bank

(www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)