Helping J.J. Rest In Peace

The mother of a little boy murdered last week is reunited with her other two children.  DHS took the kids into protective custody after 10-month-old J.J. Hall died from blunt force trauma and a lacerated liver.  His mother's boyfriend has been arrested for murder.  The News On 6's crime reporter Lori Fullbright reports there is a ray of hope in an otherwise tragic story.

The News On 6 was going to do a story about a fund being set up to raise money for a headstone for little J.J.'s grave, since his family couldn't afford one.  But, it turned into one about a good Samaritan with a big heart.

Some home video was shot of J.J. Hall was just two weeks before he was killed.  The kids were cheering because their four-hour car ride was almost over.  J.J. was the apple of his family's eye, the youngest of three kids and by all accounts, well loved and taken care of by his mother, father and grandparents.

"He could put a smile on the grumpiest faces. He was happy, bubbly, energetic," said his grandmother Candice Koteryahn.

J.J.'s mother had been dating Larry Neeley for about six months.  He has five children of his own, including a toddler.  Neeley had watched the kids several times during the summer with no problems until August 19^th.

Tulsa Police say Neeley admitted grabbing J.J. from a bunk bed ladder and hitting him on a nearby dresser and on the floor.

"I had never seen him ever raise a hand to the boys at all, never, ever. I was shocked. When they said he confessed, I was even more shocked," said his grandmother Candice Koteryahn.

The family is coping with the help of co-workers and supportive church and pastor.

J.J.'s family hated the thought of him buried without a marker on his grave.  Floral Haven kindly set up a fund for donations, but while The News On 6 was shooting video for the story, a man who owns an out of town monument company asked about the story and immediately offered to provide the stone, for free.

"It just tears me up when I hear of that happening, I really do," said Thomas McDowell with Matthews International Corp.

Now, J.J.'s family feels their little angel can rest in peace.

Neeley is scheduled to be in court tomorrow.  J.J.'s grandmother has heard he is devastated by what happened.

 J.J.'s brothers are now back at school and his mom is back at work.  His family says getting back to a regular routine is hard, because J.J. was such a part of their life together.

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08/19/2008  Man Arrested In Toddler's Death