A McKinney family is pushing back against the city after officials moved to remove a roadside memorial honoring 14-year-old Jamir Dabney nearly two years after his death.
Jamir’s grandmother Jerrilyn Dabney has faithfully maintained the memorial site every other two weeks since the teen was killed there. She regularly refreshes the signs and decorations and sends photos to Jamir’s mother and his brother who is currently away at college.
“It helps me and my family to grieve” Dabney said. She described the city’s enforcement action as reopening a wound the family has been trying to heal.
The city of McKinney acknowledged it had allowed the memorial to remain during the family’s grieving period but stated it has no legal authority to permit a private memorial in a public right-of-way on a permanent basis. City officials confirmed the enforcement action was triggered by a single complaint from one individual.
Family friend Nikki Syas said the memorial also serves a public safety purpose by encouraging drivers to slow down near the location where Jamir lost his life. For the Dabney family the site carries deep emotional significance beyond the physical decorations marking it.
An online petition created by a neighbor over the weekend has already gathered more than 700 signatures in support of keeping the memorial in place. The groundswell of community support has energized the family as they prepare to take their case directly to the McKinney City Council.
The situation may have broader implications for other grieving families in the area. McKinney officials confirmed they are currently reviewing three additional roadside memorials across the city and have not yet determined what action will be taken regarding those tributes.
Jerrilyn Dabney said the fight has grown beyond her grandson’s memorial alone. She said the family now stands for every family that has placed a roadside tribute to honor a loved one lost to tragedy.
The Dabney family is urging the city council to create a formal policy that would allow roadside memorials to remain as both a grieving tool for families and a public safety reminder for drivers. No date has been set for the council appeal.