The Madison Twp. toddler’s family will miss her deeply as will “a million people who never met her,” the pastor said.
A few in the audience smiled and nodded their heads at the pastor’s words, but most could not shake the grief as they wiped away streams of tears. Kinsley’s father, Scott Senft, sat in front of her tiny pink casket — a huge teddy bear and a red flower display in the shape of a Minnie Mouse bow sat nearby among an array of balloons.
Senft and family members were overcome with emotion when pictures of Kinsley were projected on two large screens as the song “My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw played in the background. Friends tried to comfort the grieving father as he wept.
Wolfinbarger told the family that “time does not heal; it is what you do with it that does.”
Kinsley was beaten to death Dec. 1, allegedly by her mother’s boyfriend, Bradley Young, 26, at his Radabaugh Road home in Madison Twp. Young is charged with murder and felonious assault, while Kinsley’s mother, Rebecca Kinner, 23, has been charged with permitting child abuse for allegedly not coming to her daughter’s defense.
Rebecca Kinner, who is being housed in the Butler County Jail and is pregnant with a child due in February, was not at her daughter’s funeral Wednesday. However, she was escorted by Butler County sheriff’s deputies Tuesday to Anderson Funeral Home in Springboro before Kinsley’s visitation service and was allowed to see the child privately, said Maj. Mike Craft, of the sheriff’s office.
“She was there alone,” Craft said.
Rebecca Kinner had asked to go to the visitation, but sheriff’s officials denied that request. Craft said the sheriff’s office instead arranged for Kinner to have a private moment with her daughter under police escort, which is something that has been done in the past with other prisoners in similar circumstances.
There has been an outpouring of support from the community in the wake of Kinsley's tragic death. Hundreds of toys were donated to children in need this Christmas in honor of Kinsley — a request made by her father. A truck and a flatbed tow truck from A-Tech Towing sat outside the church Wednesday and were filled with hundreds of toys dropped off by community members since Kinsley's death.
More than 200 motorcycle riders from all over Ohio — some from groups that ride to raise awareness against child abuse — gathered in the church parking lot to escort Kinsley to her burial site at Springboro Cemetery. Many of them lined the back of the church during the funeral.
Perry Bond, Kinsley’s great-uncle, held a large board with a message of support for “the baby girl and Scotty” for all the bikers to sign.
“They are from all over,” said biker Jim Howell of Franklin. “We wanted to be here to send her off. To show our support.”
Wolfinbarger read Kinsley’s obituary during the service, and told everyone that they can learn from the toddler who “had a smile that would light light up a room.”
“She lived every day to the fullest. Take a lesson from a 2-year-old — live every day to the fullest,” Wolfinbarger said.
The service ended with prayers and the song “Go Rest High On That Mountain” by Vince Gill.
Motorcycles led the massive funeral procession, which snaked along Ohio 123 to Springboro.
At the cemetery, mourners gathered around Kinsley’s final resting place and were led in prayer by Jeffery Hataway, then they launched red balloons, Kinsley’s favorite color, into the heavens.
“It was just awesome,” said Karla Edwards, Kinsley’s great-grandmother.
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