As the small white coffin
bearing the body of Loris Stival, 8, was carried into the church
for his funeral Thursday, the mayor of Santa Croce Camerina said
he hoped his community would finally find peace.
The coffin was carried in by four people, including Loris's
father Davide Stivale, while a procession of students, lead by
classmates of Loris, walked to the church St. John the Baptist.
Flowers, balloons and a stuffed animal had been placed in
front of the church for the funeral which some 2,000 people
attended.
A very large floral display in the shape of a heart bearing
the child's name was sent by Loris's mother, Veronica Panarello.
She remained in police custody on suspicion of involvement
in the boy's stranglation death on November 29 and her lawyer
previously said she would not be released for the funeral.
The funeral was to be presided over by the bishop of
Ragusa, Monsignor Paolo Urso.
Giovanna Campo, the principle of the school, said the
procession would include elementary and middle-school students
and teachers.
A psychologist said the ceremony would help the students
cope with the murder of a classmate.
Franco Di Martino of Ragusa has been working with students
since the murder and said he recommended children attend Loris's
funeral "so that they could have awareness of this death and the
loss of their school friend," he said.
Mayor Franca Iurato said the funeral would hopefully
restore some "peace and serenity" to the town that has been
frightened by the events.
Francesco Villardita, lawyer for Panarello, has said she
continues to state her innocence but will not be permitted to
leave jail for the funeral.
Panarello reportedly sent a letter on Tuesday to her
husband Davide Stival, claiming her innocence and questioning
his support.
"How can you believe I killed our child," she wrote in the
letter seen by reporters and sent on the birthday of the
couple's youngest child.
"I feel alone and abandoned by all," wrote Panarello.
Her father Francesco Panarello said that he believed in her
innocence in the child's murder, calling Veronica "his
princess".
Prosecution documents seen by ANSA recently alleged that
Panarello killed the boy "via strangulation with a plastic cable
tie", and naming cruelty as an aggravating circumstance.
The document also pointed to inconsistencies concerning
Panarello's movements before and after she said she dropped
Loris off at school the day of his death, adding that her
account "clearly conflicts" with evidence provided by video
surveillance cameras.
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