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Bailey Elizabeth Rogers
James Bolden holds a photo of his daughter Jamyla, which perfectly captures the joy inside of her that he spoke so
much about. Although James didn’t live in the home with Jamyla, they were extremely close. Her birthday was particularly special, and each year James would bring her a chocolate cake, her favorite, from different specialty bakeries. Today, James has kept the tradition of the chocolate cake alive. The only difference is that he shares it at Jamyla’s graveside, not with her in the flesh.
James Bolden holds his cross necklace, while his wrist displays bracelets that were made by and belonged to his daughter, Jamyla Bolden. Both the necklace and bracelets are a representation of Jamyla, who loved church and
jewelry making. She was only nine years old when she was shot and killed by a bullet that was not meant for her. Like many families looking for answers, James has faced many roadblocks and been told contradicting stories about the events that led up to his daughter being shot, and the aftermath.
James Bolden holds a photo of his daughter Jamyla on the corner of Canfield Dr. and Ellison Dr. in Ferguson, just
steps away from the house where she was killed. Jamyla was doing homework in her Mom's bedroom when she
was hit by a bullet shot into their home from outside. James chose to dress in black and white to represent his
daughter's love for praise dancing, as those are the exact colors she would wear when performing with the praise dancing team at their church.
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