‘Everybody loved him;’ Family heartbroken after missing boy found dead

DAYTON — A family is speaking out after a local boy was found dead hours after being reported missing.

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As reported on News Center 7 at 11:00, family members started looking for missing 8-year-old, Hershall Creachbaum, who was reported missing from the 400 block of Xenia Avenue around 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning.

News Center 7’s Taylor Robertson spoke with the family. They immediately came out to help look for him.

None of them thought they would be back in the same spot, setting up a memorial for him.

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“He did not deserve this,” said Missy Rowland Creachbaum, his grandmother. “He was non-verbal.”

She told Robertson that Hershall had autism and was non-verbal. He used a wheelchair to get around and could only walk a few steps without it.

Missy said that she took care of Hershall and his sister, up until a recent crash put her in the hospital.

“Everybody loved him, anybody that came in contact with Hershall, they had to love him,” she said.

Missy said that he attended school at Ruskin Pre-K in Dayton.

Two of his paraprofessionals said he was popular there.

“He was one of the sweetest, brightest children I’ve ever met in my life. He couldn’t talk. But he expressed himself in a lot of ways,” said Jenny Davy.

“He was really well loved by everybody, everybody looked for him, said hi to him in the hallways, he made special visits to classrooms during the day just to say hi,” said Ashley Teavi.

Hershall’s great-aunt, Jessica McNier, told Robertson that Hershall and his sister were living with their mother and her boyfriend, Michael Kendrick.

“You know, I sit and think. My mind is my worst enemy,” she said.

As previously reported by News Center 7, Hershall’s family and three law enforcement sources have confirmed to News Center 7 that Kendrick is Montgomery County Jail in connection with the boy’s death.

Jail records show that he is being held on suspicion of Murder, Felonious Assault, Child Endangering, Tampering with Evidence, Obstructing Justice, and Abuse of a Corpse Charges.

Robertson says as people cope with Hershall’s passing, they want to remember him as the little boy they loved.

“Just pure, pure joy. Pure light.”

Police told News Center 7 they are still investigating what happened to Hershall.

Robertson reports that his family says they are in the planning stages of his funeral.

His teachers also told her they are planning on doing something in his honor once the school year starts next year.

News Center 7 will continue to update this developing story.

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