BATON ROUGE – Cathy Toliver, the grandmother of 3-year-old Devin Page, is inviting the community to pray for the city in a Back to School Prayer event on Saturday. It’s been two heart-wrenching years since little Devin Page Jr., a bright-eyed three-year-old, was tragically killed by a stray bullet while he slept peacefully in his bed. The case, which shocked the community, remains unsolved, leaving his family in a state of enduring grief.
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On April 12, 2022, at approximately 11:45 p.m., Devin was hit in the head by a bullet during a drive-by shooting in the 5100 block of Fairfields Avenue. The gunfire was intended for the neighboring house, but a single, fateful bullet veered off course and shattered the lives of Devin’s family.
Devin’s grandmother, Cathy Toliver, has been vocal about her ongoing pain and the struggle to cope with the loss. “The pain is excruciating. My daughter is still in disbelief,” Toliver shared. “It’s just hard to face it every day. It’s hard to face the absence of our grandbaby every day, just difficult.”
In the wake of her grandson’s death, Toliver has channeled her grief into a mission to combat gun violence in Baton Rouge. Her belief in the power of prayer has become her guiding light.
“Prayer is the answer. Prayer is powerful, and I know prayer is so powerful because in 2016, I almost died from surgery. I literally almost died,” Toliver said, recalling her own near-death experience. “Prayer is powerful when you come together on one accord, and then you can’t stop at prayer. You then have to do the work.”
This year, Baton Rouge has already witnessed nearly 200 gun-related incidents, many ending in fatalities. In 2021, the parish saw 170 murders and 135 in 2022. East Baton Rouge Parish ended 2023 with 100 homicides, according to the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office.
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Toliver’s commitment to ending gun violence has led her to organize a “Back to School Prayer” event, set to take place in the parking lot of the 100 Black Men headquarters. She is calling on community leaders and residents to join her in praying for the safety and well-being of Baton Rouge.
“I’m asking people to get involved, but my message has always been, until it happens to you, you won’t get involved,” Toliver stated, emphasizing the need for collective action. “We didn’t do anything wrong. My baby was sleeping in his bed, and something that had nothing to do with us came into our lives.”
The “Back to School Prayer” event will take place on Saturday, August 10th, at 12:00 p.m. at the 100 Black Men headquarters located at 2050 N. Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Toliver hopes the event will inspire the community to unite in the fight against gun violence and honor the memory of her beloved grandson.
As the second anniversary of Devin’s death passed just months ago, his family continues to seek justice and healing, hoping that their pain can serve as a catalyst for change in a community plagued by senseless violence.
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