Funeral arrangements announced for 5-year-old who died of gunshot wound in Belleville

Funeral arrangements have been announced for 5-year-old Dariyah A. Lathan of Belleville, who died of a gunshot wound on Monday, Aug. 7.

Visitation will be Tuesday, Aug. 15 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at New Life Community Church, 1919 State Street in East St. Louis, according to Dariyah’s obituary. The service will be at 11 a.m. at the church.

Teat Chapel Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Fairview Heights is handling arrangements. Dariyah’s obituary is posted on the funeral home website.

Following is an excerpt quoted directly from Dariyah’s obituary:

She leaves to cherish her memories her Mother Kelsey Hawkins of Belleville, IL; Father Dante Lathan of Belleville, IL; 6 Brothers Arthell McGhee, Jr. of Belleville, IL, Dante Lathan, Jr. of Columbia, MO, Jordin Wilson of Columbia, MO, Travis Cross, Jr., of Belleville, IL, Trenton Cross of Belleville, IL, and Kenji Lathan of Belleville, IL; 1 Sister Kenya Lathan of Belleville, IL and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and other dear relatives and friends.

Information released so far about the investigation

Dariyah died at 7:16 p.m. Monday at Memorial Hospital in Belleville, where she was taken after the shooting, according to St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr.

Belleville police, the Child Death Investigation Task Force, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office and the coroner’s office are investigating Dariyah’s death.

Few details have been released so far.

Assistant Chief Mark Heffernan of the Belleville Police Department said Monday officers were sent to a home on South 88th Street at 6:31 p.m.

“Upon arrival, officers observed a vehicle associated with the residence speeding eastbound on West Main Street,” he said earlier this week. “The vehicle was found to be transporting the victim to the hospital.”

Heffernan also said that investigators don’t believe “ there is anyone at large in this case at this point of the investigation.”

This story was originally published August 12, 2023 at 1:08 PM.