The death of 5-year-old Jeffrey Baldwin shook Toronto. Eleven years later, a stranger started a campaign to ensure the boy would not be forgotten.
The 2002 death of Jeffrey Baldwin was a tragedy that shook Toronto.
The 5-year-old boy died from abuse and neglect at the hands of his maternal grandparents, who were convicted in 2006 of his murder and are now both serving life sentences in prison.
The trial ended, but Jeffrey was not forgotten. In 2013 — seven years after the trial and 11 years after Jeffrey’s death — an Ottawa man, Todd Boyce, started a fundraising campaign on Indiegogo. Boyce didn’t know Jeffrey, but was moved by his story and wanted to do something to honor the boy’s memory. In less than a year, Boyce raised over $36,000 and to be used for a bronze statue of Jeffrey. The sculpture would feature Jeffrey, standing heroically and wearing the cape of his favorite comic-book hero, Superman.
Initially, DC Entertainment, which holds the copyright to the iconic “S” logo, denied Boyce’s request to use the Superman symbol. But DC had a change of heart, and recently agreed to allow the logo to be included on the statue, scheduled for unveiling later this year.
Boyce said in a recent interview with Inside Ottawa Valley that he wants the statue to serve two main purposes.
“I hope people are curious about the statue and learn about who Jeffrey Baldwin was,” Boyce said, adding that he also hopes people “will be more vigilant about child abuse.”
UPDATE: The Jeffrey Baldwin Superman statue was unveiled Oct. 18, 2014, in Greenwood Park, Toronto. Todd Boyce (right) was present, as was sculptor Ruth Abernethy (center).
Thanks to Boyce’s efforts and Abernethy’s beautiful sculpture, Jeffrey will be remembered for generations to come.
Originally published September 2014
