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Murdered Children Remembered In New Year's Day Ceremony

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The start of a new year means hope for an end to violence against children.  Seventeen children were murdered in the city in 2010. 

Andrea Fujii reports that on Saturday morning, each one was remembered.

Each one of 17 candles represents a child murdered last year in Baltimore.

"Remembrance of them and a commitment to end that kind of violence in our city," said Halley Hayk.

It's an annual New Year's Day tradition at the Cathedral of the Incarnation.

"At the end of the year, we put them to rest and start afresh," said church member Cynthia Cocke.

Each candle is carried from the remembrance altar and then each victim's name is read aloud.  Then the light is extinguished.

The most recent victim was 14-year-old Isaac Joyner.  Police say he was shot on Dec. 23. They are still searching for a motive.

There were 223 homicides in the city last year, the lowest in nearly two decades. The number of children murdered declined, as well.  In 2008 44 children were killed and in 2009, there were 27 victims.

"One is too many and it's not just children.  We live in a city where violence is part of what we experience," said church member Jack Beebe.

Amy Myers brought her children to the service.

"It's moving.  It's very moving for them, too," she said.

The Cathedral of the Incarnation has held this interfaith service for 12 years.

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