The siblings Naveaeh Stewart, 14, and Thomas Stewart Jr., 12, were found inside a home with gunshots after officers responded around 11:30 p.m. Jan. 22 to the 1200 block of Russell Avenue, according to Springfield police. They were taken to a local hospital for treatment but died from their injuries.
Roberts said Naveaeh was full of life, a “girly girl” who aspired to be a nurse.
“Naveaeh was so full of life … She loved getting her hair done, her nails done,” she said. “She had her head strong … she wanted to be a nurse, she was looking forward to that.”
Roberts said Thomas, who she called Tommy, was “loved by everybody.”
“Whenever you see him, he had the biggest, brightest eyes and smile. His eyes would just light up the room, they were so bright,” she said. “He was also always willing to help you out. If there was work to be done, he loved helping you out.”
Naveaeh attended Hayward Middle School and Thomas attended Fulton Elementary School in the Springfield City School District.
Superintendent Bob Hill said the district’s “thoughts are with the family, teachers, friends, neighbors and all who loved and were loved by the two students involved.”
Funeral services for the siblings will be held on Saturday. The visitation will start at 11 a.m. and the service will start at noon at Trydestone Baptist Church, 1710 Damascus Ave. in Springfield, according to their obituaries.
Robert C. Henry-Clark Funeral Home is handling the services.
Naveaeh and Thomas “went to their eternal resting place” on Jan. 23, their obituaries stated.
Roberts said the two loved being around family and were just one big family.
“Both of them loved being around the family. They were some really good kids,” she said. “Our family was just real close, we were just brought up that way … They are going to be truly missed.”
The children are survived by their parents, Thomas Stewart and Stacee Hitchens; a brother, Schad Stewart; grandparents, Frances Stewart, Lori Hitchens and Tommy Mitchell; great grandparents, Gloria Jean Wells and Richard Stewart; and other family and friends, according to their obituaries.
The circumstances surrounding the children’s deaths are still under investigation.
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