Vigil held in Houston for 7-year-old girl who died in Border Patrol custody

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness, and what could be darker than the death of a child? So, these candles burn.

"That seven-year-old girl had a name. That seven-year-old girl had a family. That seven-year-old girl had a journey to get here," said Jessica Rangel.

Her name was Jakelin Caal. Two dozen or so people gathered in Guadalupe Park in the gathering dusk hoping to shed light on her death.

Although nobody knew her personally, they say in a very real way they do anyway. Some were undocumented themselves. Some have family and loved ones who are undocumented. All of them know someone who is, and some, like Rangel, know someone who didn't make the trek safely.

"Unfortunately one of my personal friends didn’t make it as far as we know and we have not been able to find him. It has been five years now," Rangel says.

Others at the vigil say they have a moral and religious reason to be here.

"In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives this whole explanation of how when he was thirsty you didn't give him water. It's basically ingrained in Christianity that we are supposed to care," Jenifer Wagley says.

They want to be very clear about what this vigil was not. It was not an attempt to change the minds in Washington or soften hearts on the other side of the immigration debate. It was just to honor the name of a little girl cruelly caught up in forces beyond her control, knowledge or comprehension -- a  girl named Jakelin.