About 250 people gathered at Paxton Revival Center Church on Friday for the funeral of 8-year-old Cherish Lily Perrywinkle.
Cherish was remembered as a girl who loved her family, friends and her church.
During an emotional eulogy, pastor Steve Dobbs talked about the pain the family and community is feeling, and the need to stick together and not cast blame on Cherish's mother, Rayne.
His voice began to tremble, and Dobbs started to cry as he described how Cherish would hug his legs and tell him how much he loved her pastor. He then called for changes in the law regarding sex offenders like Donald Smith.
Smith is charged with kidnapping and murdering Cherish last weekend.
