Sema'j Crosby's Grandma, Aunt, Deny Involvement In Homicide

JOLIET, IL — A few dozen people came together Thursday night across from Nowell Park to sing "Happy Birthday," blow out candles and cut a cake for a sweet little angel who is no longer with us. Thursday would have marked Sema'j Crosby's second birthday, her golden birthday. The birthday party was organized by Bishop Gregg L. Greer of Freedom First International and The Sema'j Crosby Coalition for Justice. Also on hand were three of the four women the Will County Sheriff's Department has identified as being uncooperative in the unsolved homicide. However, one of those women, the dead child's mother, Sheri Gordon, abruptly ran out of the room after a soloist sang "Happy Birthday" in honor of Sema'j.

As a result, Sheri Gordon was not around to help cut the cake or to offer any words of appreciation to those who helped stage the event. Gordon also refused to be interviewed by several reporters who were covering the event. She ran out of Joliet's Community CDC building on Doris Avenue and drove off while everyone else stayed inside to continue on with the event for Sema'j. The little girl was found dead inside her family's home in late April, nobody has been arrested in connection with her slaying.

Unlike Sheri Gordon, Darlene Crosby, the grandmother, and Semaj's aunt, Lakerisha Crosby, both made themselves available to speak with reporters at length during the birthday celebration.

Over the summer, Will County Sheriff's Detective R.J. Austin publicly identified four women as being uncooperative with his investigation: the child's mother, Sheri Gordon; Darlene Crosby; Lakerisha Crosby; and Tamika Robinson, a friend of Darlene Crosby. "There were four women at that house the day that Sema'j went missing, four grown women," Austin told a Joliet church congregation back in July. "One, if not more, of those four grown women know exactly what happened to Sema'j and how she got under that couch. I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that she did not get under that couch by herself."

At Thursday night's birthday celebration, Darlene Crosby spoke to multiple journalists insisting she has no culpability in her granddaughter's death.

"I didn't have anything to do with the death of Sema'j," she said.

"Today's been hard, very hard," Darlene Crosby told reporters Thursday night. "Today, we were supposed to go to Enchanted Castle (in Lombard) for her second birthday.

"It's been very difficult on me. I miss her everyday and every hour."

Darlene Crosby also said the Will County Sheriff's Department has been wrong for characterizing her as being uncooperative in the criminal probe. "I signed papers for them to search my car," she pointed out. "I've said I've been cooperative. I've been in the detective's office over 16 hours."

Darlene Crosby told reporters that she has not spoken with Sheri Gordon since the funeral service in May. "I don't want to talk to her," Darlene Crosby said.

During her press interview, Darlene Crosby emphasized she has already interviewed with Will County police surrounding Sema'js disappearance and apparent murder. The Will County Coroner's Office announced in September that Sema'j died from asphyxiation and her death inside her family's now burned-down home on Louis Road in Preston Heights has been ruled a homicide.

"I was in my car the entire time," Darlene Crosby recalled Thursday night. "That's all. I wasn't in a house. Never went in the house. And that's all I'm gonna say."

Darlene Crosby suggested Will County police, which is led by first-term Sheriff Mike Kelley, should invite in other police agencies to assist with the investigation. She said Will County "should not be ashamed to ask another agency to help find out what happened to my granddaughter."

During Thursday's interview, she acknowledged that some people have pointed the finger at her surrounding Sema'js death. "But to point the finger and blame, it should not be done," she said.

At one point, Darlene Crosby told journalists: "I'm just ready for the Lord to show up and show out. Because there will be justice for Sema'j. There will be. And I'm just ready for the Lord to show up and show out and everybody that didn't have anything to do with it, their names will be cleared.

"I have no bad memories of her. None. We shared so many memories, a lot of memories," Darlene Crosby said, wiping her eyes. "And today we was supposed to go to Enchanted Castle for her golden birthday. I was looking forward to taking her there.

"See, people didn't think that I would show up at these type of events for my granddaughter. I'm gonna stand for my granddaughter and I always have and I always will. No one and nobody can keep me away from this."

She also complimented Bishop Greer and The Sema'j Crosby Coalition for Justice for organizing Thursday's event. "When I learned about the coalition," Darlene Crosby said, "I wanted to be a part of (it). I feel it is important for me to be here. I think this is just the beginning and a lot of great things will come."

Darlene Crosby was asked what she wanted to come from Thursday night's event to remember Semaj's second birthday. "Justice for Sema'j," she answered. "I think police should be truthful. People have been cooperating since Day One."

Lakerisha Crosby, Sema'j's aunt, also made herself available for interviews on Thursday night. She said investigators should be able to evaluate the interview statements of everybody and figure out what person's story does not match everyone else's.

"I just wish all of us can come together as the family that we was. No matter what happened. Sema'j deserves justice. She never got past (18) months," Lakerisha Crosby told reporters.

She, too, vehemently denied having any involvement in the little baby's death.

"I have cried sleepless nights wondering if I missed anything on that day. I wish I could have been able to hear something or see something but I did not hear anything, see anything or do anything. If I did know anything, it would be out and that person would be arrested ..."

Later in the evening, the crowd gathered to cut the birthday cake.

Bishop Greer made a few remarks. He thanked everyone for their enthusiasm and unwavering support in helping organize the new coalition. He said the coalition will work to foster reforms that improve the lives of children so that Joliet never encounters another similar tragedy.

Then Greer turned to the father, James Crosby, and allowed him to cut the birthday cake in memory of his dead daughter. Reflecting on his efforts in advocating for reform, Greer told everyone, "James is the nucleus of this. Give James a hand."

Everyone in the room clapped. The soft-spoken James Crosby responded by saying, "I thank everyone for coming out and showing support. Keep pushing."

Images via John Ferak, Joliet Patch Editor