Separate funeral services will be held for two youths who were victims in a May 31 accidental drowning in West Monroe.
Funeral services will be held this week for 9-year-old Ja’Candis Nicole Owens and 10-year-old Ja’Oni Williams, both students at Riverbend Elementary School in West Monroe.
Arrangements for both children are being handled by Smith Funeral Home.
Services for Ja’Candis Nicole Owens will begin with a public visitation on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home.
The funeral service will take place at 12:00 Noon on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at Turning Point Ministries Church of God in Christ, located at 1102 Winnsboro Road in Monroe. Following the service, there will be a private last rites.
Services for Ja’Oni Williams will be held this weekend. Her funeral is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the Greater New Antioch Baptist Church. Burial will be in the Richwood Memorial Gardens.
Both families offer special thanks for the outpouring of love from the community that helped them stay afloat through GoFundMe contributions. A special thanks is given to Mr. Rod Williams for underwriting the funeral costs for one of the victims.
