Funeral For Slain Toddler Held

Jobin Panicker

GIRDLETREE, Md.- Funeral services were held Wednesday for 2-year-old foster child Kyla Aranae Edwards, who was killed two weeks ago in Salisbury.

Services were held at Cool Spring United Methodist Church in Girdletree.  Family and friends joined together to say their goodbyes.  They all spoke of how smart and funny Kyla was.

Kyla died from blows to the head and stomach.  Police say her foster mother's boyfriend, 44-year-old Edson Lamont Brown of Salisbury, murdered the girl while the two were alone.

Kyla's paternal grandmother, Cathy Wharton, said she is still in shock over her granddaughter's death.

"Just numbness.  I really have no feeling right now," Wharton said. "I'm just trying to deal with God, my spiritual feelings and everything that's happened over the past two weeks."

Wharton said last week that her countless warnings of abuse in the home went unheard.

Meantime, police have charged Brown with second-degree murder, child abuse by a parent (household member in this case) resulting in death, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and child abuse of a child resulting in death while in his custody. 

Brown is being held without bond at the Wicomico County Detention Center.