Amani Kildea
A 20 year old man named Amani Kildea was found dead by hanging in Lewis Morris Park on June 28th, 2020. Amani Kildea was one of the few black men to be found dead by hanging amidst the recent increase in hangings of black and Hispanic males, undoubtedly correlated with the many issues of systemic racism and police brutality that have resurfaced in the past few months. Although his death was quickly ruled a suicide, tens of thousands of people have demanded justice and reinvestigation of Mr. Kildea's death, claiming that his death was caused by an attempt to silence his voice after his dedicated work to expose pedophiles and sexual predators in his community.
Mr. Kildea was a part of "PedoGotCaught", a group of young men who created elaborate plans to lure and expose pedophiles in their community. Many have acknowledged the fact that Mr. Kildea's involvement in the group may have made him a possible target for those he helped expose. However, his death cannot be easily ruled a suicide, especially considering multiple factors including the fact that no ladder was found at the scene of his death. Letters have been sent to the Attorney General's office to request a more thorough investigation in hopes of receiving answers to the countless lingering questions that still have not been touched upon by the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.
Amani Kildea was a football player at West Morris Central High School. He looked forward to his future and dreamed of working in the FBI or CIA as mentioned by his parents. Pursuing his dream, Mr. Kildea went through Army Reserves training to become a military policeman and "made basic training fun... it was impossible not to love him..." as said by a Noah Brammer, someone who trained with Mr. Kildea in the army and referred to him as his best friend. Many of Amani's friends described him as "funny, ballsy, caring, friendly, smart, and empathetic" and "sensitive, tender-hearted, gentle, and kind". Amani Kildea loved basketball and was a wonderful listener. He would have attended James Madison University in the upcoming school year of 2020.
His family has accepted his death as a suicide, but many believe that Mr. Kildea was failed by the world and his community where "young black men are not guaranteed justice". Prosecutor Fredric Knapp was criticized for his quick suicide ruling, especially after factoring in his past of sending many nonviolent black people to prison, and many mourners have asked for further investigation from the Attorney General's Office. However in consideration of the possibility that it may have been a suicide, Pastor Sidney Williams Jr. said, "No matter the cause of death is the toxic environment we live in... I've heard many people, in despair, in tears, on just how hard it is growing up black", and many other speakers at Amani's memorials agreed that the despair and injustice felt by many minorities in the country still could have been a prevalent factor in Amani Kildea's death.
His family has accepted his death as a suicide, but many believe that Mr. Kildea was failed by the world and his community where "young black men are not guaranteed justice".
Although we may not truly know the cause of Amani Kildea's death, many can agree that he was one of the most valued and kindhearted members of the Morristown community. Mr. Kildea's friends all wished that he would have reached out to them, but suicide is one of the many tragedies that don't always have apparent warning signs. Members of his community have gathered for vigils and memorials to honor Amani, and family members have requested for donations to be redirected to Cross Roads Camp and Retreat Center or any organization dedicated to suicide prevention. Amani Kildea will be remembered for his work in making his community a better place and for his personality that made him a beloved friend, family member, and community member.
Author: Annie Qu
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Petitions:
https://www.change.org/p/morristown-police-department-justice-for-amani-kildea
Donations: Family members have requested you donate to Cross Roads Camp and Retreat Center or any organization dedicated to suicide prevention.
Resources:
https://www.insidernj.com/amani-kildea-hanging-death-haunts-morris-county/