Hundreds of strangers gather to mourn baby girl who was found dead and decomposed in her crib by a repairman 

  • Ember Warfel, one, was found dead and her body badly decomposed in her crib at her father's apartment in Medina, Ohio   
  • Hundreds of people gathered to pay their respects at a vigil on Sunday night to commemorate her short life 
  • Her dad, Eric Warfel, 34, has been charged with abuse of a corpse and is being held on $1million bail 
  • The little girl was discovered in her crib by a repairman who was installing wiring in the apartment and it is believed she was dead for several weeks
  • Warfel had filled his daughter's room with trash to reportedly mask the smell of her decomposing body   
  • Warfel, who had sole custody of Ember, also had a five-month-old daughter who died in 2013 a 'sudden unexplained death'

Hundreds of people gathered to pay their respects at a vigil on Sunday night to commemorate the life of a 21-month-old girl whose decomposed body was found in her crib in an Ohio apartment. 

The touching scenes unfolded in Medina for Ember Warfel, who was just one years old when she was found dead in her crib by a cable repairmen in her Ohio home last week.

Her father, Eric Warfel, 34, has been arrested and charged with corpse abuse and is being held on a $1million bond. 

In a remarkable show of support, people who did not know the baby girl wore white and pink clothes and joined together to pray, release balloons, and sign sympathy cards for Ember.

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Loss: Tearful mourners gathered to pay their respects at a vigil on Sunday night to commemorate the life of a 21-month-old girl whose decomposed body was found in her crib in an Ohio apartment last week

Loss: Tearful mourners gathered to pay their respects at a vigil on Sunday night to commemorate the life of a 21-month-old girl whose decomposed body was found in her crib in an Ohio apartment last week

Vigil: Mourners brought dozens of pink and white balloons to Medina's Uptown Park for 20-month-old Ember Warfel

Vigil: Mourners brought dozens of pink and white balloons to Medina's Uptown Park for 20-month-old Ember Warfel

Eric and Ember Warfel
Eric and Ember Warfel

Eric Warfel (pictured above with Ember) has been charged with with abuse of a corpse and is being held on $1million bail

After the baby's remains were discovered by an Armstrong cable technician last week, Warfel told police he put bags of garbage in his daughter's room to mask the smell.

The technician - who did not want to be identified - told police he was working at the Forest Meadows Apartments Homes in Medina installing wiring at Warfel's home but he was not there at the time.

The worker said that after realizing there was a very strong smell inside the apartment, he discovered Ember's body inside the crib.

Her body was in such bad condition it could not be determined at first if the child was a boy or a girl.  

Little Ember's framed picture was surrounded by candles during the vigil, to honor her memory

Little Ember's framed picture was surrounded by candles during the vigil, to honor her memory

The vigil, to honor the child's memory was organized over Facebook by women who belong to a group called 'Medina Moms Discuss It.'

'None of us knew the family.This is just what a community does. We support each other.'
Kimberlee Nagy Bublik, local resident

One of the organizers, Kimberlee Nagy Bublik, from Brunswick, said she was spurred to action because she wanted to do something to help out, instead of just criticizing the father.

Bublik told The Medina Gazette: 'There were some really ugly things being said on Facebook.

'Everybody wants to blame and point fingers, but the reaction people should have is the opposite. We should be bringing the community together to mourn this little girl.'

In an outpouring of grief, several moms who did not know each other began messaging each other over how they could organize a vigil. 

At the vigil Bublik said: 'None of us knew the family.This is just what a community does. We support each other.'

In a remarkable show of support the crowd released balloons and signed sympathy cards for Ember

In a remarkable show of support the crowd released balloons and signed sympathy cards for Ember

Warfel, pictured here with a baby had three children with the same mother, Malinali Galdamez, and in a custody battle last year Warfel was awarded sole custody of their two of the daughters. The third child had died at five months old

Warfel, pictured here with a baby had three children with the same mother, Malinali Galdamez, and in a custody battle last year Warfel was awarded sole custody of their two of the daughters. The third child had died at five months old

According to police, Warfel told them that Ember died June 18 and he hadn't informed family members or anyone else about her death.

Warfel was arrested on Wednesday while out on a shopping trip with his other daughter, seven-year-old Elizabeth. He had spent the previous night with the girl at a Motel 6. 

He was arrested without incident, and his daughter was questioned and is now with her grandparents.

Horrific: Ember Warfel (above) was found dead and badly decomposed in her crib at her father's apartment in Medina, Ohio

Horrific: Ember Warfel (above) was found dead and badly decomposed in her crib at her father's apartment in Medina, Ohio

Reports also said that Warfel and his ex-wife lost another daughter in March 2013 in what was ruled a 'sudden unexplained infant death'. 

Five-month-old Erin Warfel died March 31, 2013, after being taken by paramedics to a hospital while in full cardiac arrest, according to an autopsy report. 

Medina Police Chief Patrick Berarducci said Friday that his detectives will be checking with authorities in Cleveland about the five-month-old's death.

'We're going to look at the record and see if there's anything there to help guide us in our investigation,' he said. 

All three of his children had the same mother, Malinali Galdamez, and in a custody battle last year Warfel was awarded sole custody of their two daughters. 

A divorce decree has numerous references to her substance abuse problems. It was Galdamez's fifth marriage and Warfel's first. 

Medina Police Chief Patrick Berarducci said Galdamez lives somewhere in New York.

Prosecutors asked for a high bond because they consider Warfel a flight risk. The magistrate said Warfel had previously discussed moving out of state. 

Mug shot: Warfel (above) also had a five-month-old child who suddenly died in 2013 and authorities have said they will look back into her death

Mug shot: Warfel (above) also had a five-month-old child who suddenly died in 2013 and authorities have said they will look back into her death

About 25 members of the Facebook group - which has more than 2,700 members showed up for Sunday's vigil. At least 200 people attended altogether.

As the crowd stood in solidarity, they brought candles to pass out to the crowd and three sympathy cards which will be sent to the little girl's family.

According to The Medina Gazette, the Reverand Tony Myles, pastor of Connection Church in Medina, led the vigil in prayer. 

'We're here to memorialize the ache that a lot of us felt when we read the headlines this week,' he said.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine how Ember died. Additional charges are expected, police said. 

It is thought Ember Warfel's body had laid undiscovered for weeks
Ember Warfel's body was discovered by a repairman

Heartbreaking: Ember was discovered by a repairman in her crib who was installing wiring in the apartment and it is believed she was dead for several weeks

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