Abbie Smith's Deported Father Wants To Attend Her Funeral

KEANSBURG, NJ — The father of the 11-year-old murdered Keansburg girl was deported from the U.S. to Jamaica and is now desperate to return to New Jersey to attend his daughter's funeral on Monday.

Kenroy Smith is Abbie Smith's father and he was deported in 2001 on a drug charge.

“I just want to see my daughter for the last time, please,” he told ABC7 Eyewitness News, from Jamaica. "I want to see her before, before, please I'm asking, I want to see her before they put her underneath."

On Thursday, Abbie's older sister, Kenish, also in Jamaica, was denied a visa to attend her sister's funeral. The father fears his visa application will similarly be denied.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and Sen. Cory Booker's offices are in contact with the family and they are both looking into the matter. They may be trying to help the family come to the U.S. for the funeral.

Ongoing Patch coverage of the 2017 murder of an 11-year-old Keansburg girl:

• Missing Keansburg Girl, 11, Found Dead
• Keansburg Girl Allegedly Stabbed To Death; Suspect Held Without Bail
• Accused Keansburg Killer Andreas Erazo 'Had Demons,' Friend Says
• Accused Keansburg Killer Next Due In Court July 26

Abbie's funeral mass will be held on Monday, July 24 at 10:15 a.m. at St. Ann's Church in Keansburg. As per the family's request, anyone who is attending the church service please meet at the church at 10:15 a.m. Burial to follow at Bayview Cemetery, Leonardo.

Abbie was born in Jamaica and moved to the U.S. with her family in 2007. She lived in Highlands before moving to Keansburg, where she lived with her mother. She had just graduated from 5th grade at Bolger Middle School.

Abbie's upstairs neighbor, Andreas Erazo, 18, is accused of stabbing her to death in her neck. He is next due in Monmouth County court in Freehold Wednesday, July 26 at 1:30 p.m. for his detention hearing, at which point a judge will determine whether he remains in jail without bail. Until then, he is being held at the Monmouth County jail without bail.

Photo of Abbie Smith from her GoFundMe page