Community remembers 'Princess Jazmine' at funeral service

LaPorsha Washington, mother of Jazmine Barnes attends the funeral of her seven-year-old daughter on Tuesday ay The Community of Faith Church, Jan. 8, 2019, in Houston. LaPorsha Washington, mother of Jazmine Barnes attends the funeral of her seven-year-old daughter on Tuesday ay The Community of Faith Church, Jan. 8, 2019, in Houston. Photo: Marie D. De Jesús, Staff Photographer Photo: Marie D. De Jesús, Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 50 Caption Close Community remembers 'Princess Jazmine' at funeral service 1 / 50 Back to Gallery

The pint-sized casket was adorned with purple and white flowers, with the words “Princess Jazmine” sewn into the fabric.

Hundreds of mourners wore purple — Jazmine Barnes’ favorite color.

And the pews were filled at The Community Faith Church Tuesday as family, friends, dignitaries and perfect strangers turned out to remember a young life cut short by a gunman who apparently mistook her family for someone else.

Her mother, LaPorsha Washington, her voice raw from tears, read a missive she said was 7-year-old Jazmine speaking from Heaven.

“There are no more tears, pain and sadness, just eternal love,” Washington told the congregation. “Do not be unhappy just because I am not by your side.”

In a case that sparked international outrage, Jazmine was gunned down in her mother’s car about 7 a.m. on Dec. 30 as they drove with her three sisters in northeast Harris County. The dogged manhunt began with a description of a white man seen in a red pickup truck amid growing tensions that the shooting had been racially motivated.

But by the time the funeral began Tuesday, two black men — including one suspected gang member — had been charged with capital murder in the shooting. Investigators said the men apparently thought they were aiming at a group with whom they had an altercation hours earlier.

Washington led the lengthy procession of family into the sanctuary on Pinemount Drive before the service. Jazmine’s father, Christopher Cevilla, followed soon after as gospel music spilled into the hallway.

Cevilla offered his own tribute to his daughter, whom he referred to as “my baby girl.”

“God bless me and my family, my angel,” Cevilla said. “He saw it fit to take her back to heaven. Her job here was done. She brought so much peace and unity to us.”

James Barnes, who helped raise Jazmine with her mother, also offered brief words during the service.

“I’ve cried for days. I’ve stayed awake for days,” he told mourners.

Among those attending the funeral were Mayor Sylvester Turner, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, whose investigators led the charge in finding Jazmine’s killer.

Gonzalez’s condolences during the funeral came as a capital murder charge was lodged against the second man in Jazmine’s death. His vows to bring Jazmine’s attackers to justice prompted applause from the packed church.

“Jazmine’s life mattered,” Gonzalez said.

The case, he said, was especially difficult for him and his investigators because it meant mourning “a life that may have been.”

“Her beautiful smile brought memories of our own children when they were second graders,” Gonzalez said, recalling her aspiration to be a school teacher. “She was robbed of her dreams. This is our chance to make our community safer for children.

“This is our pledge to Jazmine: Rest in peace, sweet Jazmine, for justice has been done.”

The mayor spoke of the random nature of Jazmine’s death.

“Even when it’s mistaken identity, the consequences can be deadly,” Turner told those gathered in the church. “We all have to take a look at ourselves and change our behavior because Jazmine was an innocent. She was blameless.”

Sheldon ISD Superintendent King Davis shared memories from Jazmine’s second grade teacher at Monahan Elementary.

“Jazmine had a sweet spirit,” he said. “She loved everyone and always wanted to love and take care of others. She enjoyed making pictures for her teacher and friends.”

The funeral — which was open to the public — also brought Valencia Mason, who didn’t know Jazmine or her family, from Humble. Her 5-year-old niece, Jannice Mason, joined her to support the family.

“She’s the age of my niece,” Mason said, holding the child’s hand. “That touched me. It could have been any one of us.”

The shooting inspired an outpour of donations, with more than $82,000 going to a GoFundMe page Cevilla established and Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins promising his $29,000 gameday paycheck to help the family.

The funds, and any future donations, are slated for the Jazmine Barnes Education and Scholarship Fund at Frost Bank on West Loop South in Bellaire, said Bishop James Dixon, who presides over The Community of Faith Curch.

The fund will help educate Jazmine’s siblings, he said.

A $100,000 reward compiled by civil rights activist Shaun King to encourage tipsters has not been distributed, according to Dixon. He said King and lawyer Lee Merritt did not attend the funeral.

A tip that helped apprehend the suspects was sent to King and then emailed to Gonzalez last week.

A capital murder charge was filed late Saturday against Eric Black Jr., 20, who told investigators he was the driver but did not fire the shots. A capital murder charge was filed against a separate suspect, Larry Woodruffe, 24, who has been jailed on a drug charge since Saturday.

Jazmine was in the back seat of a car when a gunman opened fire on them from another vehicle. One of the bullets struck her in the head as the family approached a Walmart. Her mother was struck in the arm, and was still wearing a sling on her left arm at the funeral. Two of the other girls were injured by flying glass.

After the service, and as the casket was carried out, Washington sobbed into the arms of Jazmine’s grandmother, who earlier collapsed with grief during the viewing. She was ushered out.

The family gathered outside the church with mourners to release more than a dozen purple balloons in Jazmine’s memory. One of the balloons nearly escaped from the cluster — a signal, her mother said, that Jazmine was anxious to set them free.

“Amen,” said Dixon, the bishop.

Washington looked up as the balloons lofted above Acres Homes.