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Candlelight Vigil Set #4Jaleel, 10-year-old Aqua Center Drowning Victim


Jaleel Drayton, candlelight vigil
Jaleel Drayton. (Supplied by Family)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- A candlelight vigil for Jaleel R. Drayton, age 10, will take place this Friday, July 13,  at 8:30 p.m. at the Park Forest Aqua Center. Jaleel, a fourth-grade student at the Michelle Obama School of Technology and the ARTS in Park Forest, drowned sometime during the night of July 2-3, when he entered the swimming facility after-hours.

Ms. Kenyatta Mickey, one of the organizers of the vigil, said, “In honor of 10-year-old Jaleel Drayton of Park Forest, our little Hurricane that passed away on Tuesday July 3 after a drowning accident at the Park Forest Aqua Center, myself and fellow Park Forest resident Jennie Marie Weaver have organized a candlelight vigil to allow our community to come together to honor the memory of one of our own.”

All are invited. Pastor Lonnie D. Harrison will be on hand to offer words of prayer for family and friends.  The organizers say they have We have approximately 100 candles. Those planning on attending might want to bring their own candles also.

Mr. Alvin Lacy, who coached Jaleel in the Park Forest Hurricanes, contacted Jaleel’s family to make arrangements. Mr. Lacy said the family plans to attend. Coach Lacy said he saw Jaleel coming out of the Family Dollar store the day before he died. He joked with Jaleel about buying Flaming Hot Cheetos, a favorite snack of the young man.

Jaleel Drayton
Jaleel Drayton smiling. (Photo Supplied by Family)

Deputy Chief Brian Rzyski of the Park Forest Police Department said Thursday that the investigation into Jaleel’s death is still open, pending the official report from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. “Unfortunately, this can take up to 3 months,” Chief Rzyski told eNews Park Forest.

#4Jaleel is the hashtag organizers are using for the vigil.

Jaleel’s funeral is scheduled for Tuesday, July 17, 2018, at Faith Movers Church, 425 W. Exchange St, Crete, IL 60417, according to Coach Alvin Lacy. There will be a viewing from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The funeral will begin at 11:00 a.m.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family with funeral expenses.

Jaleel R. Drayton, 10, of Park Forest
Jaleel R. Drayton, 10, of Park Forest. (PHOTO: Family)

This story was updated on July 12, 2018, at 4:16 p.m. to reflect the correct day of the week for Jaleel’s funeral: Tuesday, July 17, 2018. The time for the funeral was also added to this story.


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