Community Reflects on Janaya Thompson’s Death
One year ago, the gruesome discovery of 5-year-old Janaya Thompson’s body in an abandoned Gulfport trailer home rattled the Gulf Coast community. Today, neighbors reflect on that tragic day.
News 25’s Katarina Luketich joins us live with more.
The quiet scene on Whitney Drive is nowhere near what it looked like one year ago. What seemed like hundreds filled the streets offering support to a family who received the worst news they could ever imagine: their 5-year-old daughter had been found dead inside an abandoned trailer.
Now one year later, residents tell News 25 the neighborhood is much quieter, but they will never forget the tragic scene. Neighbors reflect on that time last summer and say in a world where it seems like everyone struggles to get along, and even though the circumstances were beyond heartbreaking, it was refreshing to see the community come together to help this family get through a devastating time.
Carol Cohen, neighbor, said, “They were great. Everybody came around; they left different trinkets for her in her memory. I did myself, put a few stuffed animals down. There was all kinds of balloons, candles, everything. I thought it was a beautiful thing to do.”
In the wake of Janaya’s death, the community called for the trailer where such terrible things happened to be removed. However, the property owner cleaned it up and has re-rented it out, something neighbors do not agree with.
We’ll have more community reaction tonight at 9 on FOX and 10 on NBC.
News 25’s Katarina Luketich joins us live with more.
The quiet scene on Whitney Drive is nowhere near what it looked like one year ago. What seemed like hundreds filled the streets offering support to a family who received the worst news they could ever imagine: their 5-year-old daughter had been found dead inside an abandoned trailer.
Now one year later, residents tell News 25 the neighborhood is much quieter, but they will never forget the tragic scene. Neighbors reflect on that time last summer and say in a world where it seems like everyone struggles to get along, and even though the circumstances were beyond heartbreaking, it was refreshing to see the community come together to help this family get through a devastating time.
Carol Cohen, neighbor, said, “They were great. Everybody came around; they left different trinkets for her in her memory. I did myself, put a few stuffed animals down. There was all kinds of balloons, candles, everything. I thought it was a beautiful thing to do.”
In the wake of Janaya’s death, the community called for the trailer where such terrible things happened to be removed. However, the property owner cleaned it up and has re-rented it out, something neighbors do not agree with.
We’ll have more community reaction tonight at 9 on FOX and 10 on NBC.
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