Remembering Harlee Lewis: Vigil Held for Chesterfield Baby Found Dead in Diaper Box
CHESTERFIELD, SC – Dozens of people came together Wednesday night to honor an 11-month baby found dead in a diaper box in South Carolina, just over a week ago.
“It touched us all. It was hard for all of us,” says Chesterfield resident Lisa Gillespie.
Parents like Gillespie are holding their kids tighter after an emotional week. Dozens gathered in downtown Chesterfield Wednesday night to say goodbye to a baby girl most didn’t know.
βI lost a baby three years ago, and I donβt see how somebody could do that to the child,” Gillespie says.
Sheriff’s investigators found Harlee Lewis’s body last Tuesday.
βAnyone that has children or has got a heart for children, it really branches out and it touches βem,” says Chesterfield resident Christy Gaddy.
Harlee’s mother, 19-year-old Breanna Lewis is being held on $71,000 bond. She’s charged with the desecration of human remains, hiding the baby’s body, and filing a false police report.
Investigators say she lied about Harlee being kidnapped. The false report prompted an Amber Alert and massive law enforcement response.
It’s still not known if baby Harlee died accidentally or by an intentional act.
“What I don’t want to happen is, I don’t the community to hate somebody that they really donβt know the whole circumstance yet,” says Chesterfield County Sheriff Jay Brooks.
Lauren Jones brought her three-year-old son after hearing about the case.
“I’m trying to focus all my energy on baby Harlee and getting her justice rather than focusing on speculations, and just focus on facts,” Jones says.
