Vigil Honors Boy,9

HAGERSTOWN, MD – Tonight a 9-year-old is remembered after he dies at the hands of abuse.

Jack Garcia only wanted a piece of birthday cake, but instead was beaten because he didn’t ask for permission.

As Marcus Washington reports, hundreds gathered Sunday night to honor the child’s life.

It’s a gathering to remember a life that was taken suddenly from this world.

Just three days after his 9th birthday police say his mother’s boyfriend 30-year-old Robert Wilson handcuffed Garcia as punishment for eating the cake.

He then allegedly pushed the boy around and struck him several times.

“No child should die at the hands of an abuser. Something has to be done,” said Melissa Williams.

Here in Hagerstown City Park, dozens of people gather to not only remember Jack Garcia, but stand up against abuse.

“We can no longer say it’s not in our community, it’s very real, it’s in our community. We have to make a change. We’ve had three incidents since the end of May. We can no longer turn our head,” Williams said.

For many people here, they didn’t know Jack, but they know something has to be done to raise awareness so that another child isn’t hurt or killed at the hands of abuse.

“I feel like it was important for me to be here, it was important for me to show my respect to Jack because he deserves it, said Alyssa Williams.

Wilson was arrested and charged with first degree assault and child abuse.