Sema'j Action Group Prays For Glasgow, Will County Sheriff's Police

JOLIET, IL - On Thursday evening, several adults, including the father of Sema'j Crosby, clutched hands as they gathered in a circle for a prayer vigil in the 300 block of Louis Road. Here in Preston Heights, Sema'j brought joy into the lives of people who knew her. It was also where she was slain. The Justice for Sema'j Crosby Action Team along with Freedom First International organized Thursday's event. It marked the third Thursday in a row the groups have mobilized a major public event to draw attention to Sema'j's tragedy in hopes of bringing the persons responsible for the one-year-old toddler's death to justice.

"We are doing it for your grace Father," declared Pastor Joseph Pughsley, field director at Freedom First International in Chicago. "Give us authority that we shall have victory because we know that victory today is ours, God, because you already got the victory ... This too is going to pass. Somebody is going to be convicted. Somebody shall be brought down. Somebody is going to be locked down because of their actions ... and till this vengeance happens we are gonna keep standing for Zion's sake. We gonna keep standing for justice. And we gonna keep standing till Sema'j gets the appeal of justice, and this case is closed by your hands, by the authority's hands.

"We ask you to touch the elected officials, from the State's Attorney to the sheriffs to the senators. God, give them a heart that they shall do the job that they was elected to do because you chose them to do the job for your people, God." (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Several people who attended Thursday's prayer vigil said they are feeling optimism.

"It's moved a lot," said Leslie Jones, a key member of the Sema'j Action Team. "I think we've come really far because a couple weeks ago, we didn't even have a cause of death, and now we do. That was a big step forward." Last Friday, Coroner Patrick K. O'Neil issued a statement revealing Sema'j Crosby's death is being ruled a homicide and she died from asphyxia.

Meanwhile, Will County Sheriff's Detective R.J. Austin has been the leading investigator on the case for months. In July, Austin attended a church forum revealing that four women who are central to the investigation have refused to cooperate with law enforcement. They all obtained lawyers and require the sheriff's department to contact their lawyers if the police have questions to ask of them. The four Joliet women are: Sema'j's mother, Sheri Gordon; Darlene Crosby, who is Sema'j's grandmother; Lakerisha Crosby, Sema'j's aunt; and Tamika Robinson, a friend of Darlene Crosby.

All four of them stayed away from Thursday's prayer vigil on Louis Road, despite the fact that the event had been publicized on Facebook in recent days. The women have been no-shows at the public rallies outside the Will County State's Attorney's Office and by the Will County Courthouse, events that are aimed at ensuring that the people responsible for the child's death, or concealing her death, or obstructing the investigation, are brought to justice.

During Thursday's prayer vigil, Jones told Joliet Patch, "I feel Detective Austin has always been diligent and trying to get her justice."

On Thursday night, the mosquitos were out in full force, but those on hand for Sema'js vigil didn't mind. They were committed to the cause and the mission in front of them. Several minutes into the event, a car pulled up. Bishop Gregg L. Greer made a point to walk over and greet the young man. Greer also wanted everyone gathered to know how difficult it was for the guest to be here.

It was James Crosby, Sema'js father. He made a few brief comments, then clutched the hands of other members of the action team, joining them as they bowed their heads in deep prayer.

"I'm standing with the father, James," Bishop Greer announced. "He's a good man, and you can quote me on that. He's a good man."

Before leaving, James Crosby told Patch he was grateful for everything the action group continues to do. "I thank everyone out here. We're getting closer," he said.

Images via Joliet Patch Editor John Ferak