Jonylah’s Funeral, March 19, 2013—Excerpts from Videos and Photos

Jonylah Emani Watkins lying in her coffin. She was only six months old (Courtesy: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Grief at Jonylah’s coffin: her mother Judy and a relative (Courtesy: Paul Beaty)

Not much commentary is necessary. Sorry, the funeral definitely was not live-streamed as I hoped, but these are the best that I could find.

This video above was from The Chicago Tribune. If you were wondering, Jonylah Watkins’ coffin was about 3 feet long.

Jonathan and Judy Watkins at the coffin of their daughter (Courtesy: Paul Beaty)

The video above was shot by J. Doe, who also features Lupe Fiasco‘s song as background music. It shows Jonylah’s burial site as well.

Another family member weeps for Jonylah (Courtesy: Daily Mail)

I refer to columnist Mary Mitchell’s take on the funeral:

It is surreal to see a 6-month old baby lying in a casket.

Jonylah Watkins looked like a life-sized baby-doll. Her mother, Judy Watkins, picked a petal-pink coverall to lay her baby to rest. The dead baby was placed in a golden-edged beige casket that was slightly larger than an infant carrier. Her cheeks, unlike the sunken cheeks of the dead, still had the robust look of life.

“I want my baby back. I want my baby back,” the mother wailed inconsolably as hundreds of mourners filed past and gave the baby, nicknamed “Smooch,” a final good-bye.

The mourners began lining up hours before the funeral was set to start Tuesday at New Beginnings Church of Chicago at 66th and King Drive.

Close relatives wore pink and white. Most donned T-shirts painted with messages honoring Jonylah or pins bearing the baby’s smiling photograph. Tearful mothers hoisted the baby’s young cousins high on their hips. Grown men, their heads bowed, stood silently with damp eyes.

A typical mourner at Jonylah Watkins’ homegoing (Courtesy: Paul Beaty)

When the family finally left the church to bring Jonylah to her resting place, Mitchell noted that “Jonylah’s mother (with grandmother Judy Young) followed the tiny casket. Her father walked a few steps behind.”

Jonathan Watkins, surviving father of Jonylah Watkins; he and Jonylah were shot by the same street assassin, but he lived (Courtesy: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

What in the world does he think? Jonathan looked more than just physically wounded. He looked waterlogged from this immense tragedy. Is he really cooperating in full in order to bring the murderers of his daughter to justice?

Another view of Jonylah Watkins’ funeral program beside a mourner (Courtesy: Daily Mail)

I just hope Jonathan makes some concrete decisions soon that will impact his life and that of his wife, decisions that he could have made long ago that might have saved that little baby’s life. His treasure. If this isn’t a big hint from the Universe that it is time to move away from thug life, I don’t know what is.