"We Love You, Jada"

2-year-old buried Friday

By NWI TIMES and NBC CHICAGO

Updated 1:18 PM CST, Tue, Jul 28, 2009

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Jada Justice was carried for the last time Friday in the arms of those who loved her.

The 2-year-old's uncles, Michael Valdez and Lamont Joyce, cried openly as they carried the little girl's tiny white casket to its final resting place in Heritage Cemetery in Portage. More than 200 people followed silently behind them.

"We love you, Jada," one man called as the casket was lowered into the grave site.

The toddler's body was found June 25 in rural LaPorte County after more than a week of a nationally publicized search prosecutors say was prompted by a ruse to cover up her slaying.

Jada is believed to have died June 13, three days before she was reported missing by her baby sitter and cousin, Engelica Castillo. Castillo and her boyfriend, Tim Tkachik, each were charged last week with murder, neglect of a dependent, battery and false informing for Jada's death, according to Lake County criminal court records.

Castillo initially reported that the girl had disappeared from her car when she went into an area gas station, but police suspected that wasn't the whole story. Police later got Tkachik to confess that Castillo beat the girl to death and the two disposed of the body, according to a police affidavit.

In the affidavit, Tkachik described gruesome details of how the couple tried to get rid of the body. They first planned to burn Jada's body, but only ended up injuring Tkachik when gasoline they were using exploded. Instead, they went to an area hardware store, purchased a plastic tub and concrete, and encased the girl in it before dumping her in a swampy area.

Prosecutors are considering seeking the death penalty against Castillo and Tkachik.

For more in-depth coverage of the Jada Justice case, check out the NWI Times' interactive page.