Heartbroken community holds vigil for child found in Gadsden funeral home hearse – WVTM

Incident Report: Child Fatality in Gadsden, Alabama

Case Summary

• A 21-month-old female child, identified as Blessence Pearl, was found deceased inside a hearse at the West Gadsden Funeral Home.
• The discovery was made by a groundskeeper on a Saturday morning. The vehicle had reportedly been parked and locked the previous evening.
• An autopsy is to be conducted to determine the official cause of death and ascertain if foul play was a factor.

Law Enforcement and Community Engagement

Official Investigation and Judicial Proceedings

The Gadsden Police Department has initiated a comprehensive investigation into the child’s death. The response from local institutions reflects a commitment to justice and public safety.

1. Arrest Made: Terica Pearl, 29, was arrested and booked into the Etowah County Jail on a murder charge. She is currently being held without bond.
2. Official Statements: Mayor Craig Ford commended the police department for their diligent pursuit of the truth, stating that the arrest is a step “closer to justice for this child.”
3. Public Appeal: Lt. Dusty Ford of the Gadsden Police Department has urged the public to come forward with any information that could assist the investigation and help provide answers and peace to the community.

Community Response and Social Cohesion

In response to the tragedy, the community of Gadsden organized a candlelight vigil at the West Gadsden Funeral Home to honor the memory of Blessence Pearl and offer comfort to her family.

• Vigil organizer Dantez Robinson stated the event was intended to show city-wide support for the family during their loss.
• Community member Vicki Ecxford highlighted the event as a demonstration of communal love and solidarity, stating, “It’s just showing love and the community coming together to stand together.”

Analysis Through the Lens of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This incident and the subsequent response can be analyzed through the framework of several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which call for global action to ensure peace, prosperity, and well-being for all.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

This goal aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable institutions. The events in Gadsden relate directly to this objective.

• Strong Institutions: The swift investigation by the Gadsden Police Department and the subsequent arrest demonstrate the functioning of accountable institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law.
• Access to Justice: The murder charge and ongoing legal process are fundamental steps toward achieving justice for the victim, a core target of SDG 16.
• Peaceful and Inclusive Societies: The community’s vigil serves as a powerful example of a peaceful assembly aimed at reinforcing social cohesion and providing collective support in the wake of violence.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

SDG 3 seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. The death of a child is a profound failure to meet this goal.

• Protecting Life: The tragic death of a 21-month-old child fundamentally contravenes the global objective of ending preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age.
• Mental Health and Well-being: The community’s collective grief and the supportive vigil address the significant psychological and emotional impact of the tragedy, highlighting the importance of community-level support systems for mental well-being.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

This goal focuses on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

• Community Safety: The incident underscores the persistent challenge of ensuring safety for all residents, particularly the most vulnerable, within community spaces.
• Social Inclusion and Resilience: The community’s organized response to the tragedy, as articulated by residents, demonstrates a commitment to fostering an inclusive and resilient social fabric capable of uniting in times of crisis.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article primarily addresses issues related to two Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  This goal aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. The article’s central theme is the tragic death of a 21-month-old child, which is a direct contradiction to the goal of ensuring child survival and well-being.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This goal focuses on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions. The article details a violent crime (murder), the response of law enforcement (police investigation and arrest), and the community’s call for justice, all of which are core components of SDG 16.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the following specific targets can be identified:

1. Target 3.2: End preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age.

   The article reports on the death of a “1-year-old girl,” later specified as being “21 months old.” The death of a child under the age of five is a direct failure to meet this target, which aims to eliminate such preventable deaths.

2. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

   The article explicitly states that an arrest was made and a “murder charge” was filed. This violent act resulting in death is precisely what Target 16.1 aims to reduce.

3. Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

   The victim in this case is a child. The murder of a 21-month-old is the most extreme form of violence against a child, directly relating to the core focus of this target.

4. Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

   The article highlights the actions of the justice system. The “Gadsden Police Department” conducted an investigation, an arrest was made, and the suspect was “booked into the Etowah County Jail.” Mayor Craig Ford’s statement that “we’re one step closer to justice for this child” reinforces the connection to promoting the rule of law and ensuring justice is served.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article contains information that serves as qualitative or case-specific data for several official SDG indicators:

• Indicator for Target 3.2 (Under-five mortality rate):

  The death of the “21 months old” child is a single data point contributing to the under-five mortality rate (Indicator 3.2.1). While one case does not define the rate, it is an instance of the phenomenon this indicator measures.

• Indicator for Target 16.1 (Number of victims of intentional homicide):

  The article reports a death where a suspect was charged with “murder.” This directly corresponds to Indicator 16.1.1, which tracks the number of victims of intentional homicide. The child, Blessence Pearl, is one such victim.

• Indicator for Target 16.2 (Proportion of children who experienced violence):

  The murder of the child is the most severe data point for Indicator 16.2.1, which measures violence against children. The arrest of Terica Pearl in connection with the death points to an instance of fatal violence against a child.

• Indicator for Target 16.3 (Functioning of the justice system):

  Progress towards this target can be measured by indicators like Indicator 16.3.2 (Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population). The article provides a narrative example of the justice system in action: the police investigation, the arrest, and the detainment of the suspect (“booked into the Etowah County Jail…held without bond”). These actions demonstrate the functioning of institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: wvtm13.com