Shaniya Davis Funeral paid for by Shaq

The tragic story of Shaniya Davis’ life is over, for the moment, as her funeral was held on Sunday. It was attended by more than 2,000 people. Showing that NBA players are not all selfish and entitled, NBA star Shaquille O’Neal quietly has paid for the funeral.

According to the Fayetteville Observer, a Cleveland Cavaliers spokesman confirmed that the funeral, held Sunday in North Carolina at the Manna Church, was fully paid for by Shaquille O’Neal. Shaniya Davis has been buried at Fayetteville Memorial Cemetery.

The spokesman said that Shaquille O’Neal was touched by the story, and asked how he could get in contact with the family to help. While

Corey Breece, of Rogers and Breece Funeral Home, which performed the ceremony, would not reveal the cost of the child’s service, he said the cost of an average child’s funeral is “around $4,500.”

Shaquille O’Neal told the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper on Wednesday night that, “I was sitting at home watching it on the news and the story brought a tear to my eye. Being a law enforcement guy that investigates crimes against children, I wanted to be able to help in some way.”

O’Neal earlier reserve officer’s training when he lived in Los Angeles and Miami. The date of his last certification was in 2005.

Any leftover funds which had been contributed by others for Shaniya Davis’ funeral will go to local charities, groups and agencies that help neglected or abused children.

The story of Shaniya Davis began on Nov. 16th, when she was reported missing. She was later found dead, on Nov. 16th, off a rural road southeast of Sanford, in central North Carolina.

After she was reported missing, two people, including her mother, were arrested. Her mother, Antoinette Nicole Davis, 25 was arrested on accusations of human trafficking, filing a false police report, and felony child abuse with respect to Shaniya, whom police say was rented out as a sex slave by her mother.

Also arrested was Mario Andrette McNeill, 29, who was initially charged with first-degree kidnapping, and after her autopsy, with first degree murder, and rape of a child charges.

Late last week, the cause of death was determined by autopsy to be asphyxiation. Full results are pending toxicology results, but authorities were quick to indicate that asphyxiation was clearly the cause of death.