The funeral arrangements of Atatiana Jefferson have been cancelled after feuding between family members forced her father to take legal action.
The service had been set to take place on Saturday afternoon at Potter’s House Church, a time for family, friends and the Dallas/Fort Worth, TX community to mourn her tragic passing. Jefferson was in her home playing video games with her 8-year-old nephew last weekend when she was fatally shot by a police officer.
But now her father, Marquis Jefferson, has taken out a temporary restraining order to put a stop to her funeral and wake, WBTW reports. He now holds “full authority to make arrangements for the funeral and burial,” the order, handed down on Friday, read.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Atatiana’s father claims that he was left out of the funeral planning by other family members, who are also claiming that he is not even Atatiana’s biological father.
He was able to receive the restraining order after proving he was her father, as indicated on Atatiana’s birth certificate.
Marquis is now planning his daughter’s funeral for Thursday instead, Bruce Carter, a spokesman for the family, told reporters Friday night.
A private wake was held Friday evening, but her body was not on site because of the order, KDFW-TV reported.
The Fort Worth police officer who fatally shot Atatiana was booked on a murder charge on Monday. Aaron Dean was booked into the Tarrant County Jail and is being held on $200,000 bond.
