Balloons launched in girl’s memory

Associated Press

LAKE MILTON

The family of a young girl slain nearly 25 years ago in Ohio took part in a balloon launch to celebrate her life days after her killer was executed.

Ronald Phillips died by lethal injection Wednesday at the Lucasville state prison for the 1993 rape and murder of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter, Sheila Marie Evans of Akron.

The celebration took place at 3 p.m. Saturday in Vaughn Cemetery in Milton Township.

Sheila Marie is buried there beneath a pink gravestone cut in the shape of a teddy bear.

The back of the stone carries a Bible verse that begins: “Suffer little children to come unto me.”

Relatives have urged those didn’t attend Saturday’s celebration to release a balloon and post a picture of it on the Justice for Sheila Marie Facebook page.