Aftermath of Boy’s Death: Fear, Anguish and Tributes : Inglewood: William Tillett was killed on his way home from school last month. Friday, classmates and teachers attended a memorial service.

The recent kidnaping and death of an 11-year-old boy on his way home from an Inglewood elementary school has raised fear among parents across the city and anguish among those who considered William Tillett a friend.

As teachers and students who knew the boy at Bennett-Kew Elementary School grappled with his shocking death last week in classroom discussions and a special lunchtime memorial service Friday, parents showed up in unusually high numbers to provide their children a safe escort home from elementary schools across the school district.

“There’s too much happening in the streets,” said Cindy Bailey, one of several dozen parents who pulled up at the curb in front of Bennett-Kew at dismissal time Friday. “Kids aren’t safe anymore.”

Administrators at Bennett-Kew plan to distribute maps to youngsters outlining main roads around the school that they say should be the safest routes if children walk home. Children are also being urged to walk all the way home in groups.

After William said goodby to two classmates May 24 near the Crenshaw Imperial Shopping Center, four blocks from the school and six blocks from home, he was never seen alive again. Police found his body hours later behind an apartment complex in Hawthorne.

Investigators reported no new developments in the case Saturday. They do not know how William died or who killed him.

During the week, teachers at Bennett-Kew monitored youngsters for signs of withdrawal and referred a few to Principal Nancy Ichinaga and Assistant Principal Barbara Evans-Jackson, who are psychologists. During class discussions, some teachers said they were surprised at how much violence had already touched the adolescents’ lives.

“One kid brought up a story about his mother’s boyfriend shooting someone else,” one teacher said. “This was not the first tragedy to touch some of these children.”

To keep the students busy, much of last week was spent preparing for the memorial service honoring their classmate.

Attended by more than 400 students, teachers and other community members, Friday’s service featured poems, songs and tributes to William. Students recalled him as a witty, likable youngster who liked to make funny faces and draw Bart Simpson cartoons.

“William was my good friend. . . . I will miss William very much,” said Rayshon Brown, who was one of those who regularly walked home with William.

Another student added: “I wish the police would catch the killer. It’s sad that a boy can’t live to be 20.”

After the memorial service, during which a scholarship fund was announced in William’s honor, teachers said many of the students shed their first tears since the incident.

“The service helps them to realize that he’s gone and not coming back,” Evans-Jackson said. “This officially starts the grieving process.”

Courtney Abdin, one of William’s teachers, said students are not the only ones at the school touched by the death of the shy young William.

“He sat right up front and always had a smile on his face,” she said. “I think of him every time I look at that desk.”