PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: The Philadelphia boy, whose body was discovered in a dumpster in West Philadelphia on August 23 has been identified as the 12-year-old Hezekiah Bernard.
Known by his nickname “Hezzy,” Bernand had grown up in North Philadelphia but, more recently, had been living in the West Philadelphia area, according to his sister, Lovier Jolly.
Bernard was also a member of a local youth organization, LevelUp, that provides services, mentorship, and a safe space for young people in the area.
Pastor Aaron Campbell, the founding director of LevelUp, said Bernard was a polite boy, always saying “please” and “thank you” and speaking to adults with respect, as per The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“He lit up a room. He was always dancing,” he said. “He was teachable, he wanted to be mentored and he was joining our new job training program,” said Campbell.
How did Hezekiah Bernard die?
Authorities have ruled Bernard's death a homicide. He was reportedly shot in the head, as per the autopsy report.
Ernest Ransom, the staff inspector at the Philadelphia Police Department’s Homicide Unit, while confirming the victim's identity at a press conference on Tuesday, August 29, said Hezekiah Bernard had been dead for 24 to 36 hours when his body was found, as per The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Where was Hezekiah Bernard's body found?
Bernard's body was discovered in a dumpster at 55th and Cherry Streets by a Philadelphia Housing Authority sanitation worker, police say.
His body was found wrapped in plastic and covered with a comforter.
“Mr. Bernard was 12 years old,” said Ransom at a press conference. “He was brutally killed and placed in a trash can. The focus is the apprehension of those involved in the senseless death.”
The staff inspector added that the trash pickup was conducted on August 22, just a day prior to the discovery of Hezekiah’s body.
"They take it to their facility at 5500 Haverford," he said, per CBS Philadelphia. "Now they go back to fill it up with more trash at the time on the way back to that location [Cherry Street], the trash container flipped over and that's when they discovered the victim's remains and they immediately notified police."
The authorities had distributed fliers that provided the victim's description. Hezekiah’s family made the identification on Tuesday, August 29, per Fox-29.
The victim was not reported missing by his family members
What may seem baffling to many, Ransom said that the victim's family members did not file a missing report on Hezekiah in the weeks prior to the discovery.
He also said that till now the police had not uncovered any motive for Bernard's murder. The Philadelphia Police Department said, "The investigation remains active and ongoing with the Homicide Unit."
Bernard's family is reportedly overwhelmed with grief and refused to talk to the press on Thursday morning, on August 31. However, they did announce that they were in the midst of planning his "Janazah prayer" for later in the week, as per The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Community remembers Hezekiah Bernard in touching ceremony
On Thursday night, on August 31, a balloon release event was held at Level Up.
Level Up executive director, Pastor Aaron Campbell, told the crowd, "We’re here to honor Hezekiah. We’re showing our city the power of our youth. That we can come together in love,” as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
"He's gone but he ain't never going to be forgotten," Jyshair Montgomery, 16, told Fox-29.
