- Community members want to be proactive in their remembrance of 12-year-old Lori Paige.
- One Northwest Tallahassee Pastor said he wants to start an initiative to both honor Lori and safeguard the community's children.
- A memorial is set to be planned for Paige next week.
- Watch the video to hear how the community hopes Lori will be remembered.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Lori Paige was last seen on Continental Court on June 3rd, 2023, the day her father reported Lori missing.
On Friday, April 11th, the Tallahassee Police Department announced her remains had been found and her father had been arrested in relation to her death.
Neighbors share how this news is impacting the community on the day Paige would have turned 14 years old.
A community that wants to be proactive as they remember 12-year-old Lori Paige.
"We really all adopted Lori and certainly we want to make sure we continue to heal and how do we do that, continue to come together," said Pastor Rudy Ferguson, an advocate for Paige throughout several community search missions.
Friday's news has shocked the community of many who have been involved in search efforts for Paige.
"I had to leave work early, in a lot of our hearts, we were hoping… you know…" said Lisa Herring-Myrick, Executive Director of Safe Haven Hope for Children.
"We're still shocked to tell you the truth and some of us are lost for words," said Ferguson.
In a press conference Friday, Tallahassee Police Department announced Paige's remains had been found.
"After comprehensive and exhaustive 22-month investigation into the disappearance of 12-year-old Lori Paige, the Tallahassee Police Department has arrested her father, 36-year-old Andrew Wiley, on the charges of second-degree murder," said Chief Lawrence Revell.
Now, Pastor Rudy Ferguson wants to start an initiative to both remember Lori and ensure protections for the community's children.
"Getting back to that sense of your child is my child, you live in my community, you live next door to me, so we are a community, we are neighbors, and we need to operate as a neighborhood," said Ferguson.
Organizations that work to protect children say those pillars of support are key in ensuring child safety.
"Just brings home that every family needs support and this is everybody's responsibility, not just law enforcement, not just the school, not just social welfare agencies, but each of us can do something to protect a child," said Cathy Campbell, Director of Safe Families for Children, North Florida Chapter.
Honoring Lori's life by safeguarding the next generation of children.
"We're going to make sure her name stays relevant and that other young child, every school in this city, will be paying attention to their surroundings," said Ferguson.
Ferguson said he is working with several community members to hold a memorial for Paige next week. An exact date has not yet been provided. We will bring you more information about this when we know more.
In a phone call Monday, State Attorney Jack Campbell said they are analyzing facts and will be bringing formal charges in the coming days.
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