(From WEEK News 25) - Friends and family members of a Peoria teen who died from injuries he suffered from a beating took time to remember him Sunday evening.
Several hundred people gathered for a candlelight vigil in honor of 16-year-old Jaquille Tidwell Johns.
He was taken off life support Friday night and died early Saturday morning.
The Manual Academy sophomore was beaten November 11 after he and a friend were discovered inside a vacant house at 1710 W. Kettelle St.The home's owner 61-year-old Willie L. Mason was arrested last week in connection with the beating.
The family kept Tidwell-Johns on life support for about a week with the intent to donate his organs.
His grandmother says the family still had a hard time letting go.
"He was not ready; we couldn't let him go," she recounted. "And his heart beat for about 22 minutes afterwards when it finally kicked in. He was so strong; he was trying to kick-start that heart like 'okay organs, get in here with me and help me here.' But they couldn't."
Mason's bond is set at one hundred thousand dollars and could face additional charges as a result of Tidwell Johns' death. Authorities say nothing regarding Mason had changed officially.
As of Friday, Peoria County State's Attorney Jerry Brady says his office is still trying to gather information.
