Donations Provide Funds for Services, Burial for Girl, 6
Patty and Eddie Dayton wanted a decent burial for their daughter Latoya, who fell down a four-story stairwell in a run-down MacArthur Park hotel last week, but they could not afford one.
Now it looks like they can.
After reading about the Daytons in Friday’s Times, a television writer/producer and a major mortuary chain Saturday made contributions to provide Latoya, 6, with a funeral service and burial, saving her from the cremation that Los Angeles County automatically performs in such cases.
In the Friday story, the Daytons said that if they could not come up with $1,788 by March 8, their daughter would have to be cremated.
The television writer/producer who sent the Daytons $1,788 wished to remain anonymous.
Separately, Tom Johnson, president of the Pierce Brothers mortuary chain, pledged free services and burial for the little girl.
“That’s wonderful,” a relieved Patty Dayton said. “Now I can sleep at night.” She said that she would return any money left over to the donor.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
