A memorial and statue honoring a 10-year-old boy who was killed by his own father back in 2015 was installed Friday morning at Becker Park in Crystal.
Nick Christiansen sculpted the statue of Barway Collins, which he says hit close to home.
"I have a, a eight-year old daughter and, you know, when you're having to make a statue of a child that always hits you a little different than making a memorial for an adult. So it's tragic," Christiansen explains. "You have to do that."
Collins, who lived just across the street from the park was killed by his father in 2015. Pierre Collins, 33 at the time, admitted to the horrific crime. "I killed my son," he said in court. He was later sentenced to the maximum possible sentence, 40 years in prison.
Collins said he arrived home the day Barway was reported missing and found the boy outside playing, which he was not supposed to be doing because he was supposed to be inside after school. He said he hit the boy, who fell to the ground and became unresponsive. Collins said he was scared of what would happen and took the boy to the river. He said he acted alone when he duct taped the boy's limbs and threw him in the water.
Christiansen says the statue is all for Collins' family.
"You know, as long as they're satisfied and happy with it, that's all we can ask for," Christiansen told WCCO's Al Schoch. "It goes back to trying to create a super realistic, ultra-high detail lookalike of a particular person to get that gratification from that family or person that this is meant for."
A dedication ceremony takes place at 10:00 a.m. Saturday at Becker Park.
