Lubbock artist carves stone in honor of 4-year-old Cornelius Carrington killed in drive-by shooting

LUBBOCK, Texas — It’s been almost three years since 4-year-old Cornelius Carrington was killed in a drive-by shooting in Dec. 2021 , and the case concerning who committed the crime still hasn’t been solved, but a Lubbock artist is making sure nobody forgets about the little boy.

On Wednesday, Oct. 9, artist Simon Leonel Gonzalez handed over a stone with Cornelius’s face carved into it to the family of the boy. Gonzalez began engraving stone to honor the lives of others and now has a garage lined with the artwork. He knew Cornelius needed to be honored, too.

“I made the special piece to bring awareness back,” Gonzalez said. “This is a situation that hit a lot of households. A lot of people are left with broken hearts.”

Gonzalez wanted to show his support in the search for justice in his own way, with his artwork.

“I’m here to remind people of what’s real. If you know anything and you say something you’re a hero in my book,” Gonzalez said.

When Cornelius’s aunt, Deanna Cobbs first saw the piece Gonzalez did, she couldn’t help but get emotional.

“I cried. I cried more just to know that he’s not forgotten by the public,” Cobbs said.

Seeing his face reflected into the stone, she continued to notice one thing.

“His smile,” Cobbs said. “Cornelius had one of a kind.”

Cobbs said she is planning to place the stone near her nephew’s grave as she continues to wait for answers. She said she hopes for justice every day.

“He deserves it. He was innocent. Just an innocent little boy playing, and his life ended,” Cobbs said.

There will be a balloon release for Cornelius next Thursday, Oct. 17 at Rise Academy, to honor Cornelius’s birthday.

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