This archive report was first published on 25 August 2021.
On a somber Saturday, a mother laid to rest her five children who perished in a tragic fire accident on her birthday, August 6, 2021.
The children, Deontae Davis Jr., 9, Neveah Dunigan, 8, Heaven Dunigan, 8, Jabari Johnson, 4, and Loy'el Dunigan, 2, lost their lives in a fire at their second-floor apartment on North 29th Street in East St. Louis.
The Illinois State Fire Marshal's office is investigating the cause of the fire.
A funeral service was held at Greater St. Mark's Church of God, followed by a burial at Sunset Gardens of Memory Cemetery in Millstadt, where the children were laid to rest in colorful coffins adorned with their photographs and personal interests.
"Even though I've never had the pleasure of meeting these children, I know that they were a crucial part of this community. It shows," said Eastern in his remarks at the funeral service.
Reports of the tragic incident dominated news stations across the US, with dozens offering support to the grieving mother.
