Family, friends say goodbye to Nevaeh

The entire processional route was lined by residents releasing balloons.

Anyone with information on this investigation is asked to call 734-243-7070.

Condolences and kind thoughts can be written here.

Watch raw video of the interview with the fishermen who found the body.

It seems the entire city of Monroe stopped to say goodbye to Nevaeh Buchanan. The 5 year old girl was abducted, murdered, and left by the River Raisin. Today, she was not forgotten.

If you measure a person's impact by the number of people that come out to say goodbye, then Nevaeh Buchanan certainly left her mark on a town. Thousands came out for the roughly 3 hour funeral.

Nevaeh's mother, Jennifer, and grandmother, Sherry (whom the little girl lived with), had plenty of love and support when they arrived for the service. The casket was then brought out into a special motorcycle hearse. Her uncle, cousins, and father all served as pallbearers bringing out the coffin.

As Neveah's processional moved toward the cemetery, it passed by Munson Park. Munson Park was one of Neveah's favorite places to play. Yellow, pink, and purple balloons, Neveah's favorite colors, were released as the procession passed to honor and remember the 5 year old everyone has grown to know and love.

The entire processional route was lined by residents releasing balloons. Yellow represented hope and all the volunteers who helped during the search for Nevaeh. Green balloons stand for missing children across the world.

The trip ended at Saint Joseph's cemetery along Monroe Street. The cemetery donated a special plot in a section for young children. Tears mark the tragedy of a young life lost too soon, but residents say Nevaeh will not be forgotten. She will always be Monroe's little angel.

The family did get together for a dinner after leaving the cemetery. They're asking for privacy at this time.

A fund has been set up to help pay for funeral related expenses. You can make a check out to the Community Foundation of Monroe County; make note that the money is for the "Nevaeh's fund". Gifts for the Buchanan family may be sent to Merkle Funeral Service.

Meanwhile, investigators are following up on more than 1,200 leads in the case. They're also encouraging anyone who fished the area where Neveah's body was found to call the tip line at 734-243-7070.

Timeline
May 24th - Thursday night's discovery ends an 11-day search. It all started on the night of Sunday May 24th when 5-year old Nevaeh was reported missing.

May 25th The next day police searched the Charlotte Arms apartment complex where Nevaeh and family lived.

May 27th - Last week on Wednesday, dive teams searched area quarries but didn't find anything.

May 29th - By Friday police had determined preliminary DNA results of blood evidence from George Kennedy's motel room and van did not match Nevaeh.

May 30th - Saturday, investigators focused in on eastern Monroe, closing off one neighborhood near Oak and Conant most of the day.

June 1st - On Monday police asked the public if they had seen a green box-style van.

June 3rd - Wednesday night friends and family held a candlelight vigil for Nevaeh. Authorities also announced a $20,000 reward in the case.

June 4th - Authorities started searching the River Raisin after a tip from a teen and his father who were fishing there. They found what they say was a body encased in cement.

June 5th - The Monroe County Sheriff's Department holds a press conference with information on the body found in the River Raisin.

June 9th - Michigan state police crime lab positively identifies the child's body found on June 4 as Nevaeh Buchanan.

At this time no suspects have been named in the case.

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