Family members shared this photo of Elizabeth Shelley with reporters.
LOGAN — Residents all across northern Utah are leaving their porch lights on in memory of a Logan girl whose body was found Wednesday.
The Lights on 4 Lizzy campaign encourages residents to leave their lights on each night until the funeral and burial of Elizabeth “Lizzy” Shelley. The campaign is using the hashtag #lightson4lizzy on social media.
A GoFundMe* fundraiser in support of the campaign is gaining traction. The fundraiser, posted by Cache Valley resident Josh Barnett, aims to raise $15,000 to cover the costs associated with a funeral and burial. According to the fundraiser page, the family did not have any life insurance for 5-year-old Lizzy.
As of 3 p.m. on Thursday, the site had raised $12,000 in eight hours. The page had also been shared over 2,000 times on social media sites. Donations range anywhere from $5 to $2,000.
According to the site, contributions are also accepted by mail or at any Zions Bank.
The fundraiser was posted the day after police announced Elizabeth’s body had been found. Police found the body a short distance from Shelley’s home, near the Bear River Charter School in Logan.
The prime suspect in the case is Shelley’s uncle, Alex Whipple, who disappeared with the girl early Saturday morning in Logan. Police announced charges against Whipple, including a count of aggravated murder, during a press conference on Wednesday.
After police announced the charges, Whipple disclosed the location of the body to Shannon Demler, Whipple’s attorney.
*KSL NewsRadio does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.