Maleah Davis laid to rest in custom-designed 'My Little Pony' casket in private funeral service
Maleah Davis, the four-year-old girl from Texas has been laid to rest in a private ceremony in Houston, three weeks after her remains were discovered dumped in a trash bag by the side of a freeway. Hundreds were in attendance for the funeral service held in honor of Maleah Davis at the Crossing Community Church in the city this past Saturday, June 22, according to ABC7.
Only those with specially designated pink wristbands with the words 'Maleah Lynn Davis' engraved on it were allowed to enter the church, with Richardson Mortuary collecting flowers, teddy bears, and private messages of condolences ahead of the service.
Maleah's custom-designed 'My Little Pony' casket was placed front and center and mourners were handed a heartbreaking obituary which featured the four-year-old holding a colorful rose and surrounded by her favorite characters.
The obituary, images of which were shared across social media, was written from the perspective of the young girl and read, "I enjoyed my life and I want to thank everyone who made me laugh, smile and love on you."
"At only four years old, I enjoyed school," it continued. "I loved all my friends at Attitude, Respect and Manners Daycare. I would eagerly make new friends so that we could sing and laugh together every day. I will always hug and sing with all my cousins and friends, I love you."
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner was in attendance for the ceremony, and family said he delivered a message on parents loving their children and what Maleah has taught the world.
Later, during her burial ceremony, Maleah's mother, Brittany Bowens, released a single white dove in honor of her daughter. Maleah's biological father, Craig Davis, uploaded several snaps on Instagram that showed him wearing a shirt with his daughter's face photo-shopped on the front.
The last known images of Maleah show her happily following her stepfather, 27-year-old Derion Vence, into his Houston apartment on April 30. She was never seen again.
Three days later, Vence was captured on surveillance camera emerging from the house alone, clutching a black trash bag believed to have contained the four-year-old's remains. Earlier on the same day, he reportedly did not allow Craig to see his daughter when he came to check on her and told him she had the flu.
On May 4, he reported her missing to the police and claimed she had been abducted by a group of four Hispanic men in a truck. However, his story kept changing and investigators found traces of Maleah's blood in his car, prompting him to confess that he had dumped her body near a freeway.
The four-year-old's body was finally found on May 30, a month after she was last seen, dumped in a garbage bag near a freeway outside of Hope, Arkansas. Vence has insisted she died accidentally and is currently being held in Houston jail on a charge of tampering with human remains.