DETROIT (WXYZ) — The community came together to honor the memory of 2-year-old Wynter Cole-Smith Thursday night.
She had been killed and found in a neighborhood on the east side of Detroit after being kidnapped from Lansing Sunday night.
Fighting back tears, the grandfather of Wynter joined a large crowd to condemn violence and pray after suffering an unimaginable loss.
“You not only took away my Angel but her future and dreams,” grandfather Almont Smith Sr. told us.
During an interview, he expressed outrage and heartbreak.
“Her life was meant to be filled with joy and happiness, but he took that from her. We got to stop this madness. It’s killing the kids and us,” Smith said.
Pastor Maurice Hardwick organized the vigil, which is a preview of a larger event with family planned for Friday.
“We are coming out to organize, pray and put some respect over baby Wynter,” Hardwick said.
Several times, the crowd chanted together, "Whose baby? Our baby!" Police have also said "Wynter is one of our kids."
Both police and prosecutors have vowed to hold the killer accountable and bring more charges. Still, the family and all those in attendance Thursday night could not look past the pain that only seems to grow.
“We won’t see her go to kindergarten, first grade, middle and high school, college. He took that away from us,” Wynter’s grandfather told us.
The ex-boyfriend of the child’s mother remains behind bars facing charges.
Friday at 6 p.m., family members will return to again join with the community for a larger vigil, promoting peace and love for children.
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