Although dark skies threatened rain, inside the Oneness Rehoboth Apostolic Church there appeared an almost ethereal brightness about the small white casket containing 2-year-old Julia-Marie Boyd. The little girl, who died July 4 when the minivan she was riding in plunged into Bunnell's Pond in Bridgeport's Beardsley Park, lay among pink and white flowers, her Dora doll by her feet. The girl's parents, Julian and Perdita Boyd, dressed all in white, sat with their daughter Sherita in the front row of the church, politely acknowledging words of sympathy from supporters.
"The circumstances are very tragic and there are absolutely no words that are adequate to bring comfort and consolation," Rev. Arthur Thomas told the more than 300 people who filled the church. Mayor Ernest Davis told the Boyd family he had brought the sympathy of the whole population of Mount Vernon.
"Some candles are designed to burn longer than others. I have taken the journey myself when loved ones leave so early, it has to test every nerve in your body. I just want to let you know you cannot bear this burden alone.
" Boyd had been riding in a minivan driven by Michelle McIntosh en route to find a spot for an Independence Day picnic. Also in the van were McIntosh's 3-year-old son, David, and her 6-year-old nephew, Jayden Wilson. Police said McIntosh stopped the van in a parking lot above Bunnell's Pond and then got out, leaving the van running, to talk to Boyd's mother who was in a car behind her.
The van began rolling down the hill and McIntosh jumped back into the driver's seat, but was unable to stop it before it plunged into the pond, police said. McIntosh and the three children drowned. Davis echoed many people's feelings in the church regarding McIntosh's courage in jumping back into the van.
"This mother, even though she lost her life in that process, she did that willingly to save the children," he said to cheers. Several of Julia-Marie's Leonara Henry, facing camera, and Tasha Forbes, both of Mount Vernon, hug each other before the start of a wake and funeral for Julia Boyd at Oneness Rehoboth Apostolic Church in Mount Vernon on Wednesday. family got up to speak about their fond remembrances of the girl.
"I'm grandpa," proclaimed Lewitt Boyd, to laughter. "I can remember telling Julia not to call me grandpa. I said Julia, call me popa, because as we get older we slip into denial.
But she called me grandpa." The girl's uncle, Royston Osborne, flew in from Jamaica Wednesday for the funeral. "I have watched Julia from the time she was born and I anticipated each year visiting her.
Last year she was able to communicate with adults and I spent all year anticipating coming back and having a conversation with her," he said. Marcia Hennegan, the girl's godmother, related that Julia-Marie had spent a weekend at her home two weeks ago. "That night she hugged me tight.
She was the sweetest little thing, I loved her so much." Very young aunt, Shadae Bartley, said she and Julia-Marie were like sisters. "When we were brushing the dog together I kissed her on the cheek and that was because I loved her," she said.
The funeral services for the girl were held in Mount Vernon where much of their family lives. The Boyds moved to Bridgeport last year. Burial is scheduled for this morning at Greenwood Union Cemetery in Rye.
Although dark skies threatened rain, inside the Oneness Rehoboth Apostolic Church there appeared an almost ethereal brightness about the small white casket containing 2-year-old Julia-Marie Boyd.
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