RIVER RIDGE, La. — This afternoon the Harahan community held six-year-old Bella Fontenelle in their prayers at a church service held for her.
The St. Matthew the Apostle community and those close to Bella Fontenelle showed their support for the slain child.
Community member Anne Graffagnini said, "Its a close knit community and we need to be here for them."
Bella was a kindergartner at St. Matthew the Apostle school. Parents with children who also attend the school say they're grieving with the family.
"My son was with me, he goes to St Matthew. She was on the same playground, we were in the same carpool line, she's just not there anymore," Graffagnini said.
She says the community is still processing this tragedy, "It was unbelievable, so heart wrenching, just hard to believe we were sitting there for that reason," she said.
Bunnak Landon has been charged with first-degree murder and obstruction of justice after allegedly killing Bella Fontenelle.
Police say she put the child's body inside a 12-gallon bucket, and left the bucket on her biological mother's front lawn. Police say they responded to a violent incident involving Landon in the past.
According to a police report from June of 2021, she was arrested and issued with a summons for simple battery.
It says "Landon grabbed one of Bella's aunties and began attacking her."
The report goes on to say the aunt, who is Bella's mom's sister, had "visible scratches below her left eye and on her hand."