Family to hold memorial walk in boy’s honor

5-year-old found dead in retention pond

MADISON, Wis. — Days after a 5-year-old Madison boy drowned, his family is speaking out.

They said a memorial walk is in the works for Jeremiah Conn, who had autism and loved water.

That love drew Jeremiah to the retention pond in a Stoughton neighborhood he was visiting with his family.

On Tuesday, authorities found his body in the pond a few hours after he had gone missing.

On Thursday, his uncle opened up about that memorial walk to raise awareness for children with autism.

“We’re holding up; it’s very tough,” said Marcus Fleming, the boy’s uncle. “It was really tough. Words can’t express the feeling of losing my nephew.”

Fleming said Jeremiah, who also went by JB, was a 5-year-old full of energy.

“I’m still coping and dealing with it, waking up in the morning crying, just trying to get through my day,” Fleming said.

After Tuesday’s tragedy, Fleming said he finds hope in planning a memorial walk in JB’s honor.

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“The walk is to remember JB and is also to bring awareness to people who have children with autism,” Fleming said.

JB didn’t talk much and would run away, but he had also just started school, loved cartoons and deserves an appropriate sendoff service, Fleming said.

“We want to have a party for JB because he was such a fun kid,” Fleming said.

The walk is planned for noon on July 10. It will start at JB’s Fisher Street home and end at the Fountain of Life Church, where the family will gather for his funeral.

Donations for JB’s mother are being accepted at the church.

Fleming is encouraging the public to attend.