Baby without family is buried in heartbreaking ceremony, police carry his small coffin into the church

A community in South Dakota mourned the tragic loss of a little boy they named Gabriel James Doe after his lifeless body was discovered at a local recycling center.

The full-term baby was discovered on August 6 at Millennium Recycling in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The little child's name and family are unknown.

“And look at the family he has now,” said Pastor Travis Remme, looking at the large crowd at Gabriel’s memorial service on Wednesday.

Despite ongoing investigations, authorities have not yet been able to clarify the circumstances of Gabriel's death, including his age and the length of his stay at the recycling center.

Sioux Falls Police spokesman Sam Clemens described the child as “full-term” and confirmed that the investigation is still ongoing.

The full-term baby was found at around 6:40 a.m. on August 6 in the 300 block of East 50th Street North with no family or name at Millennium Recycling in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The community is deeply affected by this heartbreaking tragedy and numerous individuals and organizations have come together to express their condolences and support.

A memorial service for Gabriel's short life was held on August 28 at the Southside Chapel of Miller Funeral Home.

“Any time someone loses their child, it's a difficult time. It's not the natural course of things,” said funeral director Matthew Koball. “It's really the least we can do to give back to the community because it's the right thing to do.”

Koball has lost two children himself and said he understands the deep grief of parents who have lost their young child.

“Unfortunately, we do a lot of funerals for young children, but nothing is like this,” Koball said. “For me, this is kind of a first.”

“The smallest coffins are the heaviest to carry.”

Over 200 people attended the service and Sioux Falls police officers served as pallbearers.

As attendees solemnly entered the chapel, they were greeted by the sight of baby Gabriel surrounded by an abundance of flowers, teddy bears and toy cars. Floating among these tokens of remembrance and love was a single blue star-shaped balloon.

More than 200 people attended the service, and Sioux Falls police officers carried the casket. The chapel was filled to capacity, with mourners standing further back and in an additional area.

The boy was found at Millennium Recycling (pictured) and the circumstances of his death are still unclear

The chapel was filled to capacity. The mourners stood further back and in an additional area.

Some participants brought small children, Gabriel’s new “brothers and sisters,” whose occasional cries reflected the crowd’s collective grief.

There were also tearful people in attendance wearing Millennium Recycling T-shirts, who, however, declined to comment to the Argus Leader on the loss.

A large bouquet of wildflowers from the recycling center team contained a simple message: “We found you and we loved you.”

The funeral was conducted by Pastor Travis Remme of Rock Community Church in Rock Rapids, Iowa, his wife Jessica Remme, Pastor Katherine (Church Director at Dow Rummel Village), and Reverend John Helmueller of the Diocese of Sioux Falls.

Jessica Remme gave a touching eulogy and described Gabriel as “an angel with tiny wings and arrows [who] blessed the lives of others with beauty and grace.'

She continued, “An angel came for reasons we may not understand, a short journey with such great gifts and guided by the hand of God. So rest now little angel, your work on earth is done in the beauty of God's perfect love, we have sought his gift in you.”

Jessica, who also lost a child, said she and Travis were devastated when they learned about Gabriel.

Jessica gave a touching eulogy and described Gabriel as “an angel with tiny wings and arrows [who] bless the lives of others with beauty and grace'

“I mean, I know that pain as a mother who has lost a child,” Jessica Remme said. “I can't even imagine what that mother must have been thinking or going through or what her circumstances must have been that she felt like she had no choice or whatever it may be. It's a reminder to check on your people.”

The Oaklyn Foundation worked with other local organizations to provide Gabriel with a proper burial.

Jessica Remme, founder and president of the foundation, chose the name “Gabriel James” for the child, inspired by the meanings “God is my strength” and “one who follows.”

“There just isn't a lot of support for families after a loss. And so God put this nonprofit on our hearts and we've been fortunate to be able to give back to over 1,000 families across the United States and Canada since 2018,” Jessica told the Argus Leader.

“Last August we launched our funeral program, working with Miller and other funeral homes in the area to help pay for caskets and urns for those under 16. Since launching last August, we have paid out over $46,000 worth of funeral expenses for families.”

The funeral services were free for Gabriel because Miller Funeral Home does not charge a fee for funeral services for anyone under 17 years of age.

“It's really something beautiful that's come out of this. If you don't want to go to the funeral home, keep praying for his family. Keep praying for his mother. She just needs some prayers,” Jessica told Dakota News Now.

The funeral service was free for Gabriel because Miller Funeral Home does not charge for burials of anyone under the age of 17.

“It was just incredible to see the people of Sioux Falls come together to pay their respects, spend time and make sure he was properly buried and cared for,” Koball said.

Although the circumstances of Gabriel's death remain unclear, the community is committed to honoring his memory and providing support to his family.

Jessica urged people to continue praying for Gabriel's mother, who is undoubtedly feeling great grief.

“He won't be alone, our family will come to visit him,” Jessica said. “He is an important part of our family now and he won't be sitting here alone. We will always remember him.”