Credit: Defreeze
Adam Ferrise reports on an unexpected setback in the funeral for Alianna DeFreeze, the 14-year-old who was found murdered in an abandoned home on Cleveland’s eastside.

New Spirit Revival Center in Cleveland Heights backed out of the funeral plans, citing insufficient staffing and, according to DeFreeze’s cousin, a “hiccup” in transferring GoFundMe money.

The family has since moved the funeral to Imani Temple Ministries in Cleveland Heights, with a wake and services to be held Feb. 11.

From Ferrise’s report:

“They told us they’d hold the space and we could pay them Wednesday,” Hall said. “But they called Tuesday and asked for the money. Then they told us the space was no longer available.”

Hall said family members have been unable to sleep or eat while trying to figure out the funeral arrangements.

“We just want to lay her to rest,” Hall said. “We’re looking forward to the funeral. We can’t return to anything close to normalcy until this happens. On top of all the grief, this has been incredibly stressful.” 


This article appears in Feb 8-14, 2017.

Eric Sandy is an award-winning Cleveland-based journalist. For a while, he was the managing editor of Scene. He now contributes jam band features every now and then.

6 replies on “Darrell Scott’s Cleveland Heights Church Backed Out of the Funeral for 14-Year-Old Alianna DeFreeze”

  2. The fine print for New Spirit Revival Center must include — We share in your sadness and would be honored to arrange your funeral…..how much money you got?

  3. How pathetic, the new spirit revival center was more concerned about money than accommodate this family under such tragic condition. One would think they could have called other churches to ask for help with staffing concerns. Maybe they don’t have the money to keep their church going and saw this as a windfall.

    Thank God for the Imani Temple and other churches to offer to have the services free of charge, not worrying about staffing or getting the hiccups.

  4. I wonder if the real problem is the pastor is a Trump supporter, and this funeral will not “strike the right tone”?

  5. I SERIOUSLY can’t believe that delusional people are politicizing this child’s death…truly disgusting.

  6. Darryl & Belinda Scott should both be ashamed of themselves. A pastor? Really? Not once did they reach out to the family and offer their condolences and you deny them use of your facility? Then you require payment of them to lay their baby, their baby that was murdered to rest? Shame on you! Shame on you! If this man and his wife have been chosen as GODS messengers, we’re in trouble.

Comments are closed.