As the GoFundMe component of this tragic story unfolded before this website existed, we’re getting to it now that 3-year-old Camber Chavis’ dad Alton is back in court.
Authorities say the Virginia Beach girl was taken to the hospital on May 7, 2015 with a skull fracture and other severe injuries. She died the following day. A GoFundMe page for burial expenses was set up shortly thereafter.
It was later revealed that her father Alton had picked her up, violently thrown her in the bathtub, and repeatedly tossed her on the floor.
Alton plead guilty to second-degree murder in March of this year, but just before his sentencing hearing this week penned a letter to the judge, an excerpt of which follows (via WAVY):
“I am still struggling with whether going through with this plea truly was the best possible route to closure and finality in this case,” Chavis said in the letter. “I took this plea as what I originally thought was a mature means to an end, your honor.
“I also know that any fight on my end would cause more hassle for my wife and our families, not to mention the threats I have been hit with of adding and upgrading charges to this already dire situation,” Chavis added. “I truly and will always love my baby girl.”
Camber’s mother Chanelle, meanwhile, was charged with felony obtaining money under false pretenses last year over a GoFundMe page set up for Camber’s funeral expenses. Authorities say she failed to disclose that her husband was a suspect in her daughter’s death, and never used the money to bury her daughter. She eventually plead down to a misdemeanor.
A fund set up on GoFundMe.com — and online crowd-funding website — brought in about $10,000 to help with funeral expenses, according to Virginia Beach police.
One woman cut a check for $5,000, but was never made aware of the murder charge, the warrant says.
Then, police say, an investigator discovered on June 3, nearly a month after Camber’s death, that her body was still at a funeral home, and that Chanelle Chavis never made funeral arrangements.
Police say someone came forward to make funeral arrangements for Camber, but would not say who or when the services will take place. Police are in the process of returning the GoFundMe donations.
It seems that this little girl was betrayed left and right by the people entrusted to care for her the most. We hope she sees some justice.
