A few dozen people gathered up the street from 17-year-old Jasmine Bedwell's apartment Friday afternoon to memorialize her 3-month-old son.
Deputies say Richard Anthony McTear Jr. threw infant Emanuel Wesley Murray from a moving car onto Interstate 275 last week.
Positive Support for Parents in Neighborhoods, or Positive SPIN, along with Brothers-4-Brothers remembered Emanuel, whose body was found May 5 on the shoulder of the interstate near Fowler Avenue.
A Positive SPIN leader said Friday that the nonprofit group has been swamped with calls from people coping with stress and dealing with pain. He said men often keep emotions bottled, and the group wanted to present them and opportunity to come out and talk.
"What we decided to do was to be more aggressive about coming out to the community and letting them know that, hey, there's hope, there's somebody that can help you," said Tunde Brinson, an event organizer.
Rose Huneke, a 17-year-old mother who attended the event and lives near Bedwell, said she was horrified when she learned of the baby's death.
"We do care, and we're showing support for the young mother," she said.
Friday's memorial was held at the Spanish Trace Apartments, 12850 N. 15th St.
McTear, the ex-boyfriend of Emanuel's mother, is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, kidnapping, felony battery and burglary with battery. He remains jailed. No bail has been set.
On May 5, deputies say, McTear threw Emanuel on concrete, kidnapped him and tossed him onto the interstate's shoulder from a moving car. McTear is not the child's father.
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