People pack Kossuth Park in Cleveland to honor short life of slain 3-year-old Emilliano Terry

CLEVELAND - A candlelight vigil was held Wednesday to honor 3-year-old Emilliano Terry, the Cleveland boy who was murdered and found in a waste recycling facility.

The Coalition for a Better Life/Peace In The Hood, Inc. organized the vigil to honor little Emilliano's short life.

People posted signs on trees that say "we love you" and put Christmas gifts underneath others. Eight-year-old Johnny Cummings came from Bedford to give Shawn Dotson, Emilliano's father, a hobby horse.

"I gave it to him for Emilliano's Christmas gift," he said.

As Dotson proudly carried the horse through the crowd he said, "He made my night. He made me smile."

The young father took the microphone briefly to thank those at the vigil for their support.

"It hurts man," he said. "It's worse when you feel like it's partially your fault cause you wasn't  there you know. But I'll make it through and I thank all of you all."

Dotson hadn't seen his son in more than a year, believing that Emilliano was living out-of-state with his mother.

Those who didn't know Emilliano said they just can't believe what happened to him, how someone could hurt a little boy. One woman said she grieves over Emilliano like he was her own son.

The boy's mother, Camilia Terry, 20, led police to believe he was missing, possibly abducted from Kossuth Park on Sunday. The next day, the little boy's body was found wrapped in garbage bags at a waste processing site in Oakwood Village.

"We can't rewrite history. We cannot bring Emilliano back... What we can do is be conscious and aware today. Ghandi said 'We must be the change we wish to see in the world.' So today, I'm the change that I wish to see," said pastor Tonya Robinson.

Her group reaches out to single parents and the less fortunate. Robinson hopes to reach out to both Emilliano's father and his mother, Camilia, to be their "spiritual coverings."

"We have to remember, (Camilia) had no mother, she had no home. She had no place to go to and say 'I surrender. I need help.' Because when she asked the system for help, the system let her down."

Earlier Wednesday, Camilia Terry was charged with aggravated murder.

The vigil started shortly after 5 p.m. at East 121st Street and Shaker Boulevard.