FORTY FORT — One year old Camryn Shultz was found dead on Sunday, along with her father, at their home in Luzerne County.
Investigators said it was a murder-suicide.
Saturday night people in Forty Fort pulled together to remember the little girl and help her family through such a difficult time.
The heartache weighed heavy on the more than 100 people who came to Forty Fort Park, nearly a week after the death of the toddler.
The little girl would have had her second birthday this past Tuesday.
Camryn might have had many more birthdays, but instead, a candlelight vigil was held in her memory. People who never met the young girl and don’t know her family insisted on doing something to help with all the hurt.
“You can’t buy any material things to help them, so I thought maybe we can begin the healing process for them, with them, give them courage and strength to try to get them through this tragedy,” said Debbie Taylor, an organizer.
People sang, consoling each other, trying to make sense of what happened to little Camryn. Investigators said her father shot and killed her at their home, then killed himself.
Camryn’s mother, Jessica Shultz, was at the vigil, and gathered the strength to speak to everyone about her little girl.
“Anybody who knows me knows my daughter was my entire world. I just need strength, and you guys are giving me that. I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to everybody, thank you,” said Jessica Schultz.
Even though Camryn’s gone, her smiling face will live on with loved ones, and the tight-knit community will have done what it could to show Camryn’s family it cares.
“We certainly wanted to unite tonight for this family for this beautiful little angel,” said Mariella Confair of Forty Fort.
Money donated at the vigil will go to Camryn’s family.
Her mother thanked everyone for their support. She said without it she doesn’t know how the family would get through this time.
