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Community Remembers 4-Year-Old At Vigil

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Sep 7, 2009 6:21 am US/Eastern

Community Remembers 4-Year-Old At Vigil

GREENE TOWNSHIP (KDKA) ― A vigil was held Sunday evening for the boy found dead in a septic tank near his Beaver County home this weekend after hours of searching by hundreds of volunteers.

The grieving Hookstown community came together for an hour long service to remember 4-year-old Wyatt Smitsky.

It was held at the Hookstown Free Methodist Church and included reflection, prayer and a candlelight vigil.

"We're here, we're asking a lot of questions, we're asking questions of why, of how," said Rev. Wilmer Olszewski. "I'm going to tell you tonight that it's ok to be mad."

The church, which seats 200 people, was filled to capacity with more people standing outside.

"To have a tragedy like this happen - accident, whatever it may be - we need to heal," said Russell Morgan, of Hookstown.

"We need closure for something like this even though you may not have all the answers," said Hookstown resident, Barb Clyde. "So you come together, and you let God help."

Rescue workers found Smitsky's body around 12:45 p.m. Saturday in a neighbor's septic tank on Georgetown Road in Georgetown, Greene Township.

Smitsky was initially reported as missing on Friday evening. Officials said he had a congenital heart defect and was on medication.

Friends and family joined in the search for the little boy before the grim discovery was made Saturday.

While the case is being treated as a homicide by state police, the Beaver County Coroner's Office has not yet released a cause of death.

The investigation continues into the case.


Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.

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