Memorial for 3-year-old killed in crash grows
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. - The makeshift memorial for Easton Cain has grown so much, his family and friends built a base and put a frame to support the growing pile of stuffed animals, flowers and balloons.
It's as much an endearing tribute to the 3-year-old Cleveland boy as it is a painful reminder of how tragic death in the Ingles parking lot off Helen Highway.
“It's needed here,” said Alenna Sanders of Cleveland. “You have to have a place where you can come and remember him and take a load off your heart,” said Sanders, who didn't know the Cains, but lost her own child two years ago.
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The memorial was erected in the spot after the boy was pinned between two SUVs by a man who was allegedly driving under the influence of drugs on January 17. Georgia State Trooper charged Holcomb with vehicular homicide, DUI-Drugs, reckless driving and driving with a suspended license.
“Everyone is heartbroken about what happened, saddened and to some degree, angry about what happened,” said White County District Attorney Jeff Langley. “To have a three year killed in such a tragic manner in his mother's presence is a horrible tragedy-for this child, this family and this community.”
White County District Attorney Jeff Langley said he understands why so many people are frustrated over Easton's death. The suspect, James Holcomb, has a history of DUI arrests dating back two decades, according to jail and courthouse records. Those arrests were followed by plea deals, some jail time, probation violations and more arrests. The district attorney said Holcomb, 36, was out on bond on a pending misdemeanor marijuana case when Easton was killed.
“It can never be predicted which of these people who we're trying to get into treatment is going to be the next person to cause a tragedy. This is why I always say drug and alcohol abuse are not victimless crimes because you never know when a tragedy like this is going to happen,” Langley said.
Folks in White County have expressed concerns that Holcomb’s father is County Commissioner Lyn Holcomb. Langley insists that holds no bearing in the pursuit of justice for little Easton.
“In other counties I work in, I've prosecuted the son of a county commissioner and elected officials. Those connections make no difference to my office or how we're going to treat this case. We're gonna follow the evidence where it leads in this case and aggressively pursue that investigation and aggressively pursue a prosecution in this tragedy,” Langley said.
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