Vigil held for slain pregnant woman on day family planned baby shower

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — It was yet another emotional day Saturday for the family of a pregnant woman who was killed along with her unborn child and her teenage son during a standoff in Henry County last week.

The Henry County community gathered for a prayer vigil to honor Sandra White, 39, her unborn baby and her son, Arkeyvion, 16, Saturday night in downtown Stockbridge.

The vigil was held on the same day the family had planned to throw White a surprise baby shower for her unborn son, whom White had named Antonio.

Channel 2's Christian Jennings was at Stockbridge City Hall as the community came out to support White's family just days after police say her boyfriend gunned her down during a 14-hour standoff with police Thursday.

City leaders told Jennings the community reached out to say they wanted to do something for the grieving family. The mayor and the City Council put together a prayer vigil for the White family -- and for two Henry County police officers who were also shot during the incident.

The gathering was tearful and heartfelt. Participants released purple balloons in honor of White and her children.

White's parents, Kathie and Johnny White, were overwhelmed with grief at the vigil.

"We were supposed to be going to a baby shower today, but instead we planned a funeral," Kathie White said to the crowd. "It's hearbreaking. I've been waiting so long to be able to hold him up. My little grandbaby. She was only three weeks away from giving birth."

Several other members of the community spoke, including the city chaplain.

During the vigil, Kathie White told the crowd she almost died in a terrible car accident on Christmas Eve. She said she wondered why God would keep her alive, until now.

"Now I know why I was spared life," Kathie White said. "To speak out on domestic violence."

She went on to say she hopes to start speaking at high schools and telling young girls that the potential for domestic violence can start early.

Sandra White had written on her Facebook page the night before she died about how she was unhappy with her relationship with Bailey. Family members told Jennings that White had asked Bailey to leave the home.

RELATED COVERAGE:  

• Father says boyfriend who killed pregnant daughter,  grandson is 'a coward'
• WARNING - GRAPHIC: Police release video of moment that started 14-hour standoff
• Woman who used to live in home where hostage situation took place helped police

BACKGROUND: 

The standoff began Thursday morning after Henry County police tried to enter a home on a "trouble unknown" call and the suspect began to fire at them.

Two officers, Keegan Merritt and Taylor Webb, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Both have since been released from the hospital.

Hours later, police found White and her son dead inside their Henry County home.

The gunman, Anthony "Tony" Bailey Jr., 47, was also found dead -- from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police.

Bailey was White's boyfriend, family members said.

Cox Media Group