Malayshia's body was found in South Jersey after she disappeared from her foster home in West Philadelphia. Her foster mother, Caprice Williams, has been charged with murder in connection with the girl's death.

The circumstances of Malayshia's disappearance and death have prompted a widening set of official inquiries. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker has ordered a review of the foster care system, while City Council and the District Attorney's Office have launched their own investigations into how the system handled the child's placement and whether warning signs were missed.

The case has resonated far beyond the block where Malayshia lived, raising difficult questions about the safeguards meant to protect children in city care. Advocates for child welfare have pointed to the reviews as an opportunity to examine caseloads, oversight and communication between the agencies responsible for monitoring foster placements.

For residents of Cobbs Creek and West Philadelphia, Wednesday's service is expected to draw mourners who never knew Malayshia but felt compelled to pay respects after weeks of grim headlines. Community members have described the gathering as a way to surround the child's loved ones with support while demanding accountability from the institutions charged with keeping her safe.

The service is scheduled for Wednesday at the Compassion Connect Venue on South 62nd Street. Further details on the timing of the celebration of life were not immediately available.