WINNSBORO, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Community leaders and residents of Winnsboro attend vigil to support burn victim Sharmeka Moffitt.
Dinerra Cotton doesn't know Sharmeka Moffitt, the young women accused of setting herself on fire in Winnsboro, but Cotton is organizing a community vigil in her honor.
"She still needs our support regardless of what the outcome was," says Cotton.
The vigil featured prayers and songs dedicated to Moffitt, and well-known Winnsboro residents also spoke about the case.
"All we can do is send a prayer out and thank everyone and keep blessing and praying for her," says a Franklin Parish resident.
Cotton says her community is more united than ever, but other leaders are saying it shouldn't have taken an event like this, to get the town together.
"Let's come together, let's stand. It shouldn't take something tragic to happen in our community around us, for us to open up our eyes and realize we're going to need each other," says a local pastor.
Although investigators concluded that Moffitt's original claims were false, some supporters are still waiting to hear from Moffitt herself.
"I wake up every morning, and say to myself, 'Sharmeka has not had the opportunity to speak for herself'," says Bishop Justin Conner, NAACP.
Cotton says no matter what story you might believe, everyone's goal is to see Moffitt get well soon.
"This is a start of something. We should bring our community together," says Cotton, "It's just time for a change."
The change Cotton hopes to see is that Winnsboro residents can set aside their differences for a common goal - wishing well for Sharmeka Moffitt.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 8:27 AM EDT2013-05-22 12:27:30 GMT
BATON ROUGE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Police say a 27-year-old Baton Rouge man accused of punching a man during a bar fight who later died of his injuries has surrendered to authorities.
BATON ROUGE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Police say a 27-year-old Baton Rouge man accused of punching a man during a bar fight who later died of his injuries has surrendered to authorities.
Tuesday, May 7 2013 7:51 PM EDT2013-05-07 23:51:36 GMT
BASTROP, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Walking the stage to get your diploma signals the end of a journey. Our Nolan Crane shows us one high school senior whose walking is just the beginning.
BASTROP, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Walking the stage to get your diploma signals the end of a journey. Our Nolan Crane shows us one high school senior whose walking is just the beginning.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 10:06 AM EDT2013-05-21 14:06:05 GMT
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - School closures, cuts to services, and employee reductions will be actions facing new Monroe superintendent-elect Brent Vidrine.
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - School closures, cuts to services, and employee reductions will be actions facing new Monroe superintendent-elect Brent Vidrine.
Friday, May 17 2013 12:09 PM EDT2013-05-17 16:09:18 GMT
FARMERVILLE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - The family of a Farmerville teen who died at football practice last week says it is overwhelmed by the community's gratitude.
FARMERVILLE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - The family of a Farmerville teen who died at football practice last week says it is overwhelmed by the community's gratitude.
