COLUMBUS, Ohio — Labor Day weekend is supposed to be a celebration, but for the family of Esther Mutivito, it’s been a nightmare.
The 4-year-old girl went missing Friday afternoon. Her body was found 24 hours later in a retention pond near Whispering Oaks Apartments on the city's north side.
Community members held a vigil to honor the life of the young girl on Monday.
"It hurts...it hurts...it's not my child but it hurts,” said Sierra Garmany, one of the organizers of the vigil.
Uncontrollable tears fell down the faces of the loved ones and neighbors, wishing Esther was still here.
Garmany said once she learned Esther went missing Friday afternoon, she and others searched for her well into the early morning hours on Saturday.
"We stood here actually, and she was here the whole time,” she said.
Garmany and others are pleading that more protection is placed around the pond to prevent this from ever happening again.
"What if the gates were working to this complex? What if the other apartments had fences up in the back of their apartments? She would still be here,” said Garmany.
Police have not released an official cause of death in this case.
10TV attempted to reach out management of the complex, but no one was available due to the holiday.
Garmany said her heart aches for Esther’s family and will support them in any way possible.
"She'll never be forgotten. I could never forget this, I could never forget her," Garmany said.