School Starts Fund For Grieving Mother

The Lakeland School District has started a fund to help the mother of a child who was beaten to death last week.

Toddler Anthony Mitchell died Oct. 21 at his home in Spirit Lake.

His mother, Anna Mitchell, was at school when the boy was injured. Her boyfriend, Ralph Reyes, was babysitting the boy.

Reyes has been charged with first-degree murder in the boy’s death.

Debbi Ferguson, a counselor for the Lakeland district, said the child’s mother and her family have been overwhelmed by the costs of burying the 20-month-old boy.

Anna Mitchell, 20, has been attending classes at Mountain View Alternative School full time to earn her high school diploma.

“They have gone through such trauma, and now to think of having a financial burden attached to it - they don’t need that,” Ferguson said.

An account to help the family with funeral expenses has been opened at First Security Bank in Rathdrum. Donations can be made at any First Security branch in the boy’s name.

Also on Monday, a judge denied bail for Reyes, who is being held in the Kootenai County Jail. Prosecutors say Reyes admitted beating the child. The toddler died of severe internal injuries.

, DataTimes