The Tennessee church that served as a meeting post for volunteers searching for a missing 5-year-old boy is hoping to raise enough money to cover the little boy’s funeral and burial expenses once his remains are found.
FOX17 reports that the Friendship Baptist Church along Highway 70 is hoping to give Joe Clyde Daniels a proper burial after learning that his father, Joseph Daniels, admitted to beating the boy with closed fists until he died. According to the donation site, any leftover donated funds would go to help spread awareness about being autistic. Joe Clyde was non-verbal and autistic.
“Please understand that 100% of all proceeds will go toward something that involved Joe in some way. Depending on how much money is raised, our first concern will be making sure we help in giving this child a funeral and burial fitting for this incredible young boy. Secondly, we would like to donate to a reputable Autism Awareness Organization. We would also love to give back to Joe’s class so they can continue to offer the special services needed by children like Joe Clyde.”
Prior to learning that little boy was killed, church members would set up breakfast and brew coffee for volunteers who showed up at 7 a.m. each morning to help search for the child. As of Thursday morning, Joe Clyde still hasn’t been found, although the search continues as a recovery effort.
MEMORIAL: The Dickson community is leaving flowers, teddy bears, and cards outside of the Friendship Baptist Church as a memorial for Joe Clyde. Police are now expanding the search for his body. More tonight on @FOXNashville at 5:30
📺 WATCH: https://t.co/7Ihen3pmic pic.twitter.com/b3pbST9SMB— Kathleen Serie (@Fox17Kathleen) April 11, 2018
As CrimeOnline previously reported, during an early morning 911 call on April 4, Daniels calmly told a dispatch operator that his son Joe Clyde Daniels was missing from their Dickson home. Initially, police had no reason to believe Daniels harmed the little boy but after two days of intense searching, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) announced that Daniels admitted that he killed his son.
WKRN obtained a copy of the 911 call, in which Daniels indicated that his son must have unlocked a door in the home and walked away. He claimed he went to the little boy’s room at 5:30 a.m. on April 4, when he noticed he wasn’t there. Daniels never asked for help while talking to the 911 dispatcher and the only information that he volunteered without being asked was that his boy was autistic and disappeared from their home off of Garners Creek Road.
Earlier this week, Krystal Nicole Daniels, the mother of 5-year-old Joe Clyde Daniels, admitted she was in the residence when the child’s father beat him to death. She’s accused of failing to report the crime and taking steps to conceal the little boy’s abuse and death, while Joseph Daniels is accused of killing the child. Neither parent has given information that would lead to where the boy was hidden.
Krystal Nicole Daniels is charged with felony “Aggravated Child Neglect or Endangerment” while Joseph Daniels is charged with homicide. Both suspects are behind bars on a $1 million bail each.
Anyone who wishes to make a donation toward Joe Clyde’s funeral should click here for the Joe Daniels Memorial Fund.
[Feature Photo: Joe Clyde Daniels/TBI]
