STRUTHERS, Ohio - Over 200 family and friends gathered in front of the Creed Street home Thursday night where 14-year-old Teddy Foltz lived with his mother, Shain Widdersheim, and his twin brothers.
His cousin Taylor Perl says Teddy was one of the happiest kids he ever meet.
"I can't ever imagine him doing something so wrong to even get yelled at by anybody," Perl says.
Teddy's cousins say they organized the candle light vigil so that, in a way, he would have a voice as a victim of abuse.
"We never spent a day away from each other and then the last three years, my cousin just kept him and the boys away from us," Perl explains. "And it just hurts, you know because I never got a chance to tell him how much I loved him."
Widdersheim's 43-year old boyfriend, Zaryl Bush, is charged with murder and rape in the death of Foltz. She is in jail on child endangering charges related to Teddy's death.
"We were all a close family until Zaryl came into the picture," Teddy's cousin Shandy Humphrey says.
Teddy's father, Shawn Tedesco, says it's hard to stand outside of the home where his son may have experienced so much pain.
"It actually brings a tear to my eye that so many people care about him," he says. "I never really had the chance to be there for him because of the mother. I just want to see some type of justice out of this."
Teddy's relatives believe the system let him down and they say across the board changes need to be made from law enforcement to children services.
"Time and time again, we made abuse reports," says Kelly Plummer, Teddy's godmother. "The police departments are well aware of Shain Widdersheim and Zaryl Bush and this is the outcome."
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