Four-Year-Old Muskogee Stabbing Victim Remembered

NewsOn6.com & Tara Vreeland, News On 6

MUSKOGEE, Oklahoma -- Friends and family packed a Muskogee church Tuesday to remember a four-year old boy who died after being stabbed during a Muskogee home invasion.

Funeral services for Dakota Lane were held Tuesday afternoon at Lifepoint Church at 2200 South 32nd Street in Muskogee.

"We had the largest crowd here at this church that I've ever seen in the 22 years that I've served," said Jack Manley, Lifepoint Church Pastor.

Lane was buried in the Greenhill Cemetery.

Dakota's casket was decorated with blue and yellow flowers and a Batman figurine.  Family and friends wore Batman T-shirts and the color green, which were favorite's of Dakota's.  There was a slideshow that showed pictures of Dakota dressed as his favorite superheroes.

"We're dealing with it the best we can," said Jack Bumgarner, Dakota's grandfather. "So we wanna mainly reflect on Dakota today."

Dakota's favorite saying was "it's not Friday."  He would tell his grandfather "you can't tickle me because it's not Friday," and he wouldn't clean his room because "it's not Friday."

"I know he was only four and he didn't know a lot from right from wrong, but you could tell he'd be one of the better ones," Drew Vandiver, Dakota's relative, said. "I just want everybody to know that we loved him, he was the best kids, and now he's in great hands, and went with God."

Muskogee Police say Aaron Laconsello, 18, stabbed the pre-schooler with a pair of scissors 36 times on November 9, 2010.  Dakota's mother, Stephanie, who is eight months pregnant, survived the attack.

11/12/2010 Related story: Muskogee Courtroom Packed For Man Charged In Stabbing Death

Laconsello is charged with murder, burglary, and assault/battery with a deadly weapon.  He remains in the Muskogee County jail where he is being held without bond. His next court hearing is scheduled for November 29, 2010.