Four years after 3 killed in home invasion, family still mourns as COVID delays trial – NJ.com

It’s become too hard to celebrate Ariel Whitehurst’s birthday more than four years after the girl, her young brother and a family friend were killed in Newark.

“The immediate family would all get together and get a birthday cake and just reminisce,” said Vanessa Karam, the siblings’ grandmother. “We haven’t did that in the last three years because it was too hurtful to mom.”

Ariel was 8 years old when she was stabbed to death and would have been 12 on Feb. 6. Al-Jahon Whitehurst was 11 when authorities say he was found fatally stabbed outside the Hedden Terrace home with his sister on Nov. 5, 2016. Syasia McBurroughs, a 23-year-old family friend, was also killed.

It’s another birthday spent without the accused killer, Jeremy Arrington, standing trial as coronavirus and other delays have hampered the court’s schedule.

The state Supreme Court suspended criminal jury trials again in November as coronavirus cases rose, meaning thousands of people in jail across the state have yet to be convicted. Only some virtual civil trials have recently begun.

Authorities at the time said Arrington, now 31, attacked the family inside the grandmother’s home after one of them reposted a wanted alert on Facebook for him in connection to an earlier shooting and sexual assault.

Arrington allegedly encountered nine people inside the grandmother’s home, tied them up and stabbed six of them, killing the two children and the family friend. Ariel and Al-Jahon’s mother and two others were also injured in the attack, authorities said.

He was indicted on 29 counts, including murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault. An attorney for Arrington could not be reached.

Arrington’s trial has tentatively been scheduled for the fall. But COVID-19 coupled with changes in defense attorneys and judges caused delays, an Essex County Prosecutor’s Office spokeswoman said.

Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens II noted in an unrelated press conference last week how coronavirus has caused staff to work remotely, but work was continuing on cases even during the pandemic.

“We recognize that delays in this system are frustrating and discouraging,” said Stephens. “But they should know – and we want to ensure everyone – that we are investigating cases with the same vigor and the same commitment that we have always displayed.”

The attack moved those from Ariel’s school at KIPP Seek Academy and Al-Jahon’s BRICK Peshine Academy. A vigil for the victims was attended by about 200 and Mayor Ras Baraka at the time called the triple murder “senseless…awful and horrible.”

Four years hasn’t weakened the memories of Al-Jahon’s basketball skills for Karam, or Ariel’s smile for her teacher at KIPP Seek Academy.

“It’s still heavy on your heart every day,” Karam said. “To wake up every day and know that you’re not going to hear those voices in the house when you’re so used to hearing someone yell grandma or mom through the house.”

Lily Ventrell was Ariel’s kindergarten and first-grade teacher and it was hard to see her move up to the second grade, where she was taught by someone new. Not getting to see her grow up is really hard now too, she said.

One of the last memories Ventrell had of Ariel was on the Friday before she was killed, and it was just a simple interaction that has stuck with her. The teacher had held her hand as they walked downstairs once school let out and Ariel gave Ventrell a hug.

“She had this ability to just bond with so many people,” Ventrell said.

Karam, the grandmother, said the community was supportive throughout the ordeal. A library at KIPP Seek Academy was dedicated to Ariel and more than $34,000 was raised for the siblings’ family.

The family has since moved from the home where the horrific attack happened.

Although a trial could help the family to repair their life, Karam doesn’t talk about the case with her family or want to think about it much until it goes before a jury. For now, she just wants the focus to be on her grandkids and their lives.

“To me, it’s not going to bring my grandkids back,” the grandmother said. “Y’know, because that’s what I’m focused on: is them. It’s not going to bring them back.”

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Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com.