DAYTON, OH – There’s something about summer nights that feels safe. The laughter, the fireworks, the music floating through the air. On the Fourth of July, that’s all the Ford family expected: just another warm night surrounded by love. But in the early morning hour, it was sirens, screams, grief, and the unbearable sound of silence that followed the loss of a little girl who had her whole life ahead of her.
According to the Dayton Police Department, a family Fourth of July celebration carried on into the early morning hours on Kipling Drive in the West Riverview community of Dayton, Ohio. An argument started between two people when a man pulled a gun, and 13-year-old Inyah Ford was caught in the crossfire. Sadly, Inyah succumbed to her injury.
Inyah Ford loved anime. She dreamed of moving to Japan one day, chasing big hopes with a heart full of curiosity and imagination. She wasn’t just a kid in the background, she was the light in the room. But when gunfire erupted during what should’ve been a peaceful family gathering, that light was taken far too soon.…