MEMPHIS, Tenn. — At noon on April 8, the Memphis Child Advocacy Center will gather people at Civic Center Plaza in front of City Hall to memorialize three children: infant Isabella Chavez, 1-year-old Tramaine Black, and 6-year-old Maria Guadalupe (Lupita) Gomez.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Every April, the Child Advocacy Center gathers with the community to remember the lives of children who died as a result of abuse or neglect.
The center supports safety for children through informed prevention, community collaboration, and a team approach to healing and justice for victims of child sexual and severe physical abuse.
Speakers at the event will include Memphis mayor A.C. Wharton, Shelby County mayor Mark Luttrell, other community leaders, and Child Advocacy Center executive director Virginia Stallworth.
The ceremony will also include music by local teen vocalist Hanna Star and saxophonist Suzy Hendrix, a presentation by the Memphis Police Color Guard, and participation by professionals who work to prevent and intervene in child abuse daily.
Child volunteers will work with Wings of Grace to release a white dove for each child lost.
The ceremony memorializes the children lost and also issues a compelling call to the community to help save other children at risk.
The Children’s Memorial Flag raised at the Civic Center Plaza will fly for the remainder of April.
In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held in the Memphis Hall of Mayors.
