Scotty McMillan Light Up the Night remembrance set for Thanksgiving
NORRISTOWN, Pa. -- A Norristown, Pa., resident has continued a campaign to remember a little boy who was violently killed and raise awareness of child abuse.
Jeff Messantonio is encouraging Facebook users to participate across the country in another Light Up the Night for Scotty remembrance Thursday.
Jillian Tait, the mother of Scotty McMillan, and her boyfriend Gary Fellenbaum were charged earlier in the month with the torture murder of the 3-year-old.
"Its time to wake up and do something about child abuse, and the time is now. So in honor of little scotty, please join us on November 27th and light a candle, leave a porch light on, leave your holiday lights on, do something to show your support in the fight against child abuse," Messantonio wrote.
Find out how you can participate wherever you are
Check out photos from the last Light Up the Night for Scotty
A trust fund has also been established to benefit Ryan McMillan, the 6-year old older brother of Scotty McMillan.
"We have had heard, not just from people in Chester County, not just from people in the United States, but from people around the world," said Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan.
Hogan says Fellenbaum, his wife, and girlfriend, Tait, all lived together in a mobile home in West Caln Township and worked at a local Walmart.
Authorities were called earlier this month to their residence for the report of an unresponsive child. Responding EMTs found 3-year-old Scott McMillan suffering from bruises, lacerations and puncture wounds all over his body.
Police say Fellenbaum, Tait, and Fellenbaum's wife, Amber, confessed that the little boy had been beaten with blunt and sharp objects, whipped, taped to a chair with electrical tape and beaten, hung up by his feet and beaten, leading to his death.
"This tragedy has a point to it. It has a face we can put on it with Ryan and Scotty McMillan but the truth is, there are thousands of kids who abuse happen to across the United State every day," said Hogan.
The inquiries about helping Ryan McMillan have come in from across the nation and beyond.
"They know this little boy has seen and heard things that nobody should have to see, so how can they help going forward," said Hogan.
Donations should be sent to:
Chester County Angel Trust
DNB First Wealth Management
410 Exton Square Parkway
Exton, PA 19341
James J. Terry Funeral Home arranged for and covered all costs for Scotty McMillan's funeral.
Authorities say Scotty was beaten to death using homemade weapons, like a whip, a curtain rod, a frying pan, and an aluminum strip.
Police say Tait explained that the fatal beating began when the boy wouldn't eat his breakfast.
Hogan said, "Little Scotty McMillan is dead. Over a three-day period ... he was systematically tortured and beaten to death. He was punched in the face and in the stomach. He was scourged with a homemade whip. He was lashed with a metal rod. He was tied to a chair and beaten. He was tied upside down by his feet and beaten. His head was smashed through a wall."
Hogan said professionals with deep experience in these types of cases were brought to tears.
"Our ER nurses see a lot of terrible things. But when they saw his body, they wept," Hogan said.
The district attorney says Fellanbaum and Tait went car shopping, bought pizza, took a nap and engaged in sexual activity - all while the child lay dying after weeks of relentless torture.
Tait allegedly told police that Fellenbaum beat her 6- and 3-year-old boys on a number of occasions. He would allegedly hit them with a closed fist in the head, face, chest and buttocks, and on one occasion she says he strung the boys up by their feet and beat them, while she and Fellenbaum laughed.
Fellenbaum and Tait are charged with murder and are currently being held without bail. Hogan says he will be seeking the death penalty.
One neighbor said, "I don't know if they should [be sentenced to death]or not... because they would probably suffer more in jail all their lives."
The Fellenbaums and Tait only moved into the mobile home community last month. Authorities say there are no signs of drug use in the home.
Amber Fellenbaum, who lived in the home with their 11-month-old child, has been charged with child endangerment for not calling police.
Hogan said, "When you go to bed tonight, say a prayer for little Scotty McMillan. The brief nightmare that was his life... is over."
