Funeral services were held for Phylicia Barnes, the Monroe, N.C., teen who went missing while visiting her half sister in Baltimore. Barnes' body was pulled from the Susquehanna River on April 22. Barnes, an honors student, was 16 when she went missing Dec. 28, 2010. She had been the subject of a multijurisdictional missing-persons investigation since January, officials said. The straight-A student was last heard from Dec. 28 via Facebook, when she posted a note saying that she was at her half sister's apartment with her half sister's boyfriend.
Barnes' funeral was held at Springfield Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., where her mother moved in order to have more family support after the disappearance of her daughter. Sharon Smith of WBTV reports, "Phylicia Simone Barnes was remembered as a girl who could light up a room, who worked hard and had a strong faith." The honors student was laid to rest on Saturday afternoon, the culmination of a series of memorials held for the teen in Charlotte, N.C., and Baltimore.
Baltimore police have ruled Barnes' death a homicide but are not releasing details, pending further investigation. A tragic ending to a tragic case.
Read more at WBTV.
In other news: The Root Review: 'When the Drum Is Beating.'
Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.