SYRACUSE -- Update Saturday 1pm:
According to the RIP Baby Isabella Marie Facebook page, the Balloon Release and Candle Light Vigil has been postponed due to bad weather.
No make up date has been announced.
Update 10:25pm:
Organizers are expecting hundreds of people to gather at Onondaga Lake Park from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Saturday to honor the life of a baby girl police say was killed at the hands of her mother shortly after she was born.
The Balloon Release and Candle Light Vigil will be held to honor the life of the infant Liverpool police named "Isabella." Organizers say candles and balloons with be provided for the first 650 people who show up. The event was created by Cheryl Neri, a Syracuse mother of eight who started a special Facebook page to allow those who are upset about what happened to come together in grief.
A recent autopsy revealed the child was born alive and suffocated - then put in a trash bin. The mother, Nicole DeJaynes, 29, remains in jail without bail. She is facing a charge of 2nd degree murder.
Posted January 19th:
The story of the newborn baby found dead in an apartment complex dumpster generated incredible sadness, anger and disbelief around Central New York. One Syracuse woman provided an outlet for all the emotions by creating a Facebook page where people could remember baby Isabella and share their thoughts. Cheryl Neri was deeply shaken by the news of the baby's death. Neri is a mother of eight and still wonders how anyone could have abandoned a baby.
"I remember that night I just held her tight and cried just thinking "how could anybody throw the baby in the trash."
Neri set up the "RIP Baby Isabella" page earlier this week and within the first few hours the site was already attracting attention.
"Just for everybody to leave their condolences for the baby, to let everybody know there is help out there. The safe haven law - the mother had so many options," said Neri."
The page has already drawn hundreds of comments.
One person wrote "may you find comfort and warmth where you now fly." Others are using the outlet to rail against the baby's mother saying things like "how could you do this to a child? The page has only been up a few days but as of Wednesday night it had almost five thousand views.
"When you link to Facebook, all your friends can see and go to the page and it just kept growing," said Neri.
Many people who posted on the site are grateful for a place to remember a child that never had a chance at life.
"Believe it or not, I believe it brings people together more as a community," said Neri.
Cheryl Neri says she will post updates to the "R.I.P. Baby Isabella" page about the charges against 29-year-old Nicole DeJaynes, the mother of the baby. She is in jail, accused of second degree murder. The Onondaga County District Attorney said the case will go to a Grand Jury before DeJaynes makes another court appearance.
Click here to visit the Baby Isabella Facebook page.
Another woman, Patricia Brown, has started an online petition called "Justice for Baby Isabella." In an email to CNY Central, Brown says she started the petition "to help with seeing that Baby Isabella has justice." She adds "Please help pass the word along so that the goal of 500 signatures is met. This petition isn't only for Baby Isabella, but for all the kids that suffer abuse and death from their parents."
You can visit the online petition by clicking here.
