Community celebrates Baby King Jay's birthday with vigil

King Jay would have turned 1 on Thursday

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio community gathered to remember and celebrate baby King Jay Davila's birthday during a vigil Friday night.

"I think everybody is emotionally drawn to this case and so we wanted to celebrate him," Pamela Allen, the vigil's organizer, said.

On Jan. 10, investigators found baby King's lifeless body inside a backpack that had been buried in a field near the corner of Castle Lance and Castle Prince, which is where the vigil took place.

RELATED: King Jay's mother: Christopher Davila not baby's father

Family members and strangers were in attendance for the vigil to celebrate what would have been King Jay's first birthday on Thursday. 

"Just knowing what happened to him, I feel like if I could have done anything, I would have been there to help him," said Rita Lopez, who brought a cake to the vigil in honor of King Jay.

Those in attendance also made sure to sing happy birthday for King Jay.

"We celebrate their birthdays and celebrate their lives because, through their lives and, unfortunately, through their deaths, we learned lessons in this community and we try to make people aware of child abuse," Allen said.

RELATED STORIES:

King Jay's dad indicted on new charge for hiding baby's corpse, DA announces

VIDEO: King Jay's grandmother released from jail after posting bond 

Video shows King Jay's grandmother, her niece buying cigarettes, groceries after staged kidnapping 

King Jay Davila's death caused by 'blunt force injuries,' ME says 

Woman charged in baby King Jay's disappearance jumped by 3 inmates

Memorial for baby King Jay Davila continues to grow

SAPD: We 'believe that King Jay is deceased'; 3 charged in case, including father

Nonprofits come together for memorial, burial service for baby King Jay

SAPD locates 'potential witness' in case of missing baby King Jay after executing search warrant

Woman gets involved in search for missing King Jay Davila

SAPD: King Jay's kidnapping was staged by father to cover up foul play


About the Authors:

Reporter, proud Houstonian, U of H alumni, and lover of all the hometown sport teams.

Patty Santos joined the KSAT 12 News team in July 2017. She has a proven track record of reporting on hard-hitting news that affects the community.