JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Funeral services will be held for an 8-year-old Florida girl who authorities say was kidnapped and killed by a convicted sex offender with a long criminal record.
The service for Cherish Perrywinkle is set for 2 p.m. Friday at Paxon Revival Center Church in Jacksonville.
The 8-year-old girl's body was found Saturday morning. Donald James Smith has been charged with murder and kidnapping in her death.
Church officials say Cherish had attended the church for four years and that she was a sweet little girl.
The man accused of killing Cherish was convicted of sex crimes against children and had gotten out of prison less than a month before the girl's death.
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More From Star Tribune
More From Nation
Nation
Takeaways from AP's investigation into fatal police encounters involving injections of sedatives
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police spread quietly across the nation over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.
Nation
Dozens of deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
Demetrio Jackson was desperate for medical help when the paramedics arrived.
Nation
The Latest | Trump's hush money trial will resume with cross-examination of ex-tabloid publisher
Defense lawyers in Donald Trump's hush money trial are poised Friday to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.
Nation
The Latest | Officials say Egypt sending cease-fire delegation to Israel
Egypt is sending a high-level delegation to Israel in the hope of reaching a cease-fire agreement with Hamas in Gaza, while warning a possible new Israeli offensive focused on the southern city of Rafah on the border with Egypt could have catastrophic consequences for regional stability, two officials said Friday.
Nation
As some universities negotiate with pro-Palestinian protesters, others quickly call the police
The students at Columbia University who inspired pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the country dug in at their encampment for the 10th day Friday as administrators and police at campuses from California to Connecticut wrestled with how to address protests that have seen scuffles with police and hundreds of arrests.