Pa. girl Skyler Kauffman, 9-year-old murder victim, mourned at funeral
(CBS/AP) TELFORD, Pa. - Family and friends all dressed in black gathered Monday morning to bid goodbye to 9-year-old Skyler Kauffman,who was brutally assaulted and killed before being stuffed into a trash bin near her suburban Philadelphia apartment.
"We're thankful that all of us can play a small part in trying to help a family grieve," Pastor Jay Desko, who conducted the services, told the paper.
Skyler's casket was pink, a funeral director told the Inquirer.
Jim Troutman, 24, who lived in the same apartment complex as the girl, was arrested last week after a detective noticed what appeared to be blood on his shoes. According to court documents, Troutman told detectives he used his hands to choke Skyler to death in the basement of their apartment building. After he allegedly murdered her, court documents show he told police he put Skyler's body in a dumpster.
Skyler and a friend had previously fled Troutman's apartment three weeks before the murder, after he invited them to use his bathroom, authorities say. Police say what happened then didn't rise to the level of criminal activity.
Troutman is being held without bail on charges of first degree murder, kidnapping and sexual assault.
