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Hadiya Pendleton, 15, a student at King College Prep, was killed at a Chicago park near a school.
Published 1:55 p.m. ET: First Lady Michelle Obama will attend the funeral of a 15-year-old girl gunned down last week in Chicago, a White House source said.
The first lady will travel to Chicago on Saturday and attend the funeral for Hadiya Pendleton at Calahan Funeral Home, according to the source. She will attend along with Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
Hadiya was killed last Tuesday at Kenwood Park on the city's South Side days after she performed at some of President Barack Obama's recent inauguration festivities. She was shot to death blocks from her school and about a mile from the president's Chicago home.
The reward leading to her killer stands at $40,000.
A petition was started asking that Obama attend the funeral. Unconfirmed reports earlier this week said Michelle Obama had considered attending.
The Pendleton family's pastor confirmed the president called Hadiya's parents to offer his sympathies. "We thank him for that, and if he does come, that's fine," Pastor Courtney Maxwell said. "If he doesn't, we know he sends his love."
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn also will attend the funeral, set for 9 a.m. Saturday at the Greater Harvest Baptist Church, at 5141 S. State St. A visitation for the teen will be held Friday at Calahan Funeral Home, at 7030 S. Halsted St., from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Related:
Funeral arrangements set for Hadiya Pendleton, teen shot in Chicago
Hadiya Pendleton's family: 'Just a matter of time' before killer is caught
Leave a Comment:
so if the girl was killed a week ago, why have they not already had the funeral and buried her? And why is lady obama waiting so long to get to chiago for the funeral
Why does it concern YOU that much????
I guess Moochelle needs to get her picture time in. Enough with the evil looking " Last Lady ". Go over to MSN and check out Beyonce's photo-shopped super bowl pics. My ribs hurt from laughing so much! The weight lifter one is PRICELESS! Beyonce is very good looking woman, but DAMN!, she stepped in it this time!
Well isn't this just great. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't. This is just an instance of screw the second guessers and do what YOU think is right.For one I think the first Lady is right.
She is going to the funeral because a petition was started. I do not understand why they would start a petition like that. That was wrong. Sending their condolences is very nice, but why insist they attend? What is the point of that? But I will give them a pass because they are grieving.
Although I did not vote for Obama this time around, I still have much respect for my President and his family. BUT, they are not the mother and father of this country nor are they MY boss. They work for the American people.
My condolences to the girl's family.
This article is solely about Michelle Obama attending her funeral, not about Ms. Pendleton herself.
Perhaps that is why it has sparked such outrage and has become divisive.