DETROIT – The sound of Andrea Montgomery’s voice is grief at its purest form.
“She was the sweetest little girl ever,” Montgomery said of her 3-year-old daughter, A’naiya.
Through tears, Montgomery told Local 4 her daughter loved candy, SpongeBob SquarePants and doing cartwheels.
“I was going to get her in gymnastics. She was so short, but she knew how to do a cartwheel perfect. And she knew how to dance,” Montgomery said.
A’naiya was killed early Easter morning when shots were fired into the home on Riverview she was in, sleeping in her mother’s arms.
Two men, a 39-year-old and a 26-year-old, were also hit by gunfire during the shooting -- and are recovering.
Police said they have one person in custody in connection with the shooting.
Community leaders hold peace rally
Community leaders, police and members of the clergy held a peace rally Thursday in A'naiya's memory.
Pastor Cory Chavis, chairperson of the Detroit Community Clergy Alliance, asked the community to continue to stand up against the culture of violence in the city.
"The pain will never go away," Chavis said.
Detroit Police Sgt. Edward Brannock stressed the importance of people in the community speaking up when they know something.
“As a group, community and police, the police can’t do this alone. The community has to be a part of this," Brannock said. “We’re growing an army of officers to combat gang violence in the city ... We are here to drive gun violence down in the city.”
Anyone who wants to donate to A'naiya's funeral costs can do so at any Flagstar bank.