As a crowd of students, friends and family packed Assumption Church to mourn Lennon Baldwin, Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi said Friday that authorities are investigating all aspects, “inclusive of bullying,” in the death this week of the Morristown High School freshman.
Thomas Ficcara, superintendent of the Morris School District, said he has met with the prosecutor and police chiefs from Morristown and Morris Township and appreciates “the aggressive law enforcement investigation being conducted” and pledged to “remain fully cooperative in any manner requested.”
Details surrounding the 15-year-old’s death on Wednesday have not been released.
The Superintendent issued a statement expressing condolences to Lennon’s family. The teen’s parents, Sharon and John Baldwin, and their eldest son, Robbie, an MHS senior, listened from the front row as members of the Morristown Area Clergy Council quoted from the Book of Lamentations and preached a message of hope and salvation through faith.
“Pray for Lennon. Pray for his family. And pray for yourselves. Your prayers do count and they do make a real difference,” Father Philip-Michael Tangorra told the gathering, estimated at 700 people by church officials. While many will try to provide rational explanations, Father Philip said, “nothing will truly bring us comfort save the love of God.”
“Thank you for being mature enough to share in the pain of living,” Pastor Neill Tolboom of the Morristown United Methodist Church told Lennon’s classmates, who struggled to hold back tears.
Assembled clergy included Monsignor John Hart of Assumption, Rabbi Donald Rossoff of Temple B’nai Or, Pastor Sidney Williams Jr. of Bethel A.M.E. Church and the Rev. Melissa Hall, assistant rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.
As mourners filed inside, they were greeted by gentle guitar melodies played by Domenico Randazzo, an eighth-grader from the band Art of Play. Domenico’s mother, Jean, joined school board Vice President Nancy Bangiola and Assumption Music Director Claudia Nardi to lead the parish through the hymns Amazing Grace, To You I Lift My Soul, and the Prayer of St. Francis. Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty and First Lady Mary Dougherty, who worship at Assumption, attended the service.
Afterward, many young people prayed quietly in the pews as the late afternoon sun streamed through colorful stained glass windows. Then they shuffled into a conference room, and the parking lot, to embrace, share memories, and console each other.
“I loved his hugs,” said Aleks Romano, who came with a group of kids from Hanover, Livingston and Parsippany who spent several summers with Lennon at the Diamond Gymnastics Summer Camp in East Hanover.
“He taught me to play Sweet Child of Mine, the (guitar) riff,” said Anthony Ferrise.
Julia Rossovsky described Lennon as “bubbly,” adding, “he always knew how to make people laugh.”
While authorities remained tight-lipped as their investigation proceeds–a Morris Township police officer admonished students not to speak with reporters–speculation swirled online among classmates and friends of Lennon.
Brittany Kane Jr., one of Lennon’s friends from summer camp, said she was shocked to learn of his passing.
“He never would do anything to get picked on,” she said. “He was the type of kid that never had anything bad to say.”
