KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: Friends and family gathered inside Muehlebach Funeral Home on Saturday afternoon, July 1, to bid a heartbreaking farewell to six-month-old Kha'liya Bridgewater, whose life was tragically cut short. The lifeless body of the infant was discovered in May by a neighbor in a wooded area close to the junction of East 41st and Pittman Road.

The discovery of Kha'liya's body in the wooded area near the intersection of East 41st and Pittman Road sent shockwaves through the community. Kansas City police are diligently working to determine the circumstances surrounding her death, yet the cause remains unknown as they await the findings from the medical examiner. The case is being treated as a death investigation led by homicide detectives. This comes after an infant's body was discovered in the woods a day before Mother's Day. The infant was later identified as Kha'liya.

'You don't ever want to bury a grandchild'

"She was precious. I mean, she looked you in your eyes, and you'd just melt," Kha'liya's grandfather, Martin Lammers, told KMBC as he struggled to come to terms with the loss. Holding onto the memories of his granddaughter, Lammers spoke of the anguish that comes with burying a child or grandchild. "There's one thing you don't ever want to bury your child. You don't ever want to bury a grandchild,” Lammers said. "At the end of the day, whoever is involved in this is going to get punished for what they've done."

The family sought closure and justice, feeling Kha'liya's loss was profoundly unfair. Lammers declared, "It feels like she's becoming a statistic here. I'm not going to give up on Kha'liya." He insisted that those involved in her death must be held accountable, stating, "That's a whole life you miss out on. We're going to make sure she gets what she deserves, out of respect and for justice."

Kha'liya's grandmother Ruthann Hickman seeks answers

"You can't process if you don't know," said Kha'liya's grandmother, Ruthann Hickman, during a vigil held last month, as quoted by The Kansas City Star. "I just want to know. We're just ready to start healing, and finding out what happened is part of that process." The family's plea for answers echoed the sentiments of a community longing for closure.

What happened to Kha'liya?

According to court documents filed in support of a search warrant, Kansas City detectives suspect that Kha'liya may have died in an apartment several days before her body was discarded. Witnesses provided crucial information, shedding light on the possible sequence of events leading to the tragic outcome.

A witness recounted how Kha'liya's mother had confided in them, stating that she woke up one day to find the child "blue in the face," leading to the call for police and emergency services. The witness further revealed that the mother had requested financial assistance for cremation, though no official report of the 6-month-old's death was ever made. Another witness reported an unsettling odor emanating from the mother's apartment as early as late April, raising concerns about Kha'liya's well-being. Detectives subsequently interviewed Kha'liya's mother, who initially denied having an infant daughter but later acknowledged her existence.

What did Kha'liya's mother tell?

Providing her account of the events leading to Kha'liya's death, the mother informed the police that her daughter was last seen alive on May 4 in their apartment located in the Squier Park neighborhood. According to court documents, she recounted her boyfriend informing her that the baby was choking and holding her against his chest. Later, she discovered the lifeless body with open eyes and folded arms but allegedly refrained from contacting emergency services due to a broken phone. The following day, she claimed to witness her boyfriend placing the deceased child in a car seat and leaving.

Eventually, Kha'liya's body was discovered in a field, with court records revealing the presence of two kitchen trash bags beneath and around her legs. Adjacent to the site, investigators found a baby blanket and a small, yellow headband, painting a poignant picture of the tragedy surrounding her death. Family members set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for Kha'liya's funeral. As of Sunday morning, July 2, the campaign had received nearly $4,300 in donations.