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Community holds vigil for 5-year-old boy known for his smile

"He was never fussy he was always smiling when you saw him," Irma Navarrete said, a friend of the family.

KINGSLAND, Ga. — They came by the dozens,  joining in solidarity to celebrate the life of Matthew Mateo Ortega.

"He was never fussy, he was always smiling when you saw him," Irma Navarrete said, a friend of the family.

Monday night, she, along with neighbors from the Camden Point mobile home community, gathered for a candle light vigil to say their last goodbyes to a young soul who was known for being Spider-Man's biggest fan.

"He loved to play with trucks, he loved Spider-Man too, but most of all he loved to play with his sister outside," Navarrete said. "He also loved to play with his tablet mostly, and video games."

He was your typical 5 year old, but unfortunately his life ended tragically last week. Initially, investigators were told he drowned, however, the medical examiner would later reveal that he died from abuse. His own mother, Maria Alas, is now facing a murder charge. The mother's boyfriend, Max Meza, was also arrested for making false statements.  

Those who knew Matthew best reflected on how he touched so many hearts.

"His laugh, his smile, those were the things that made my heart jump when I looked at him," Navarrete said.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help with funeral home cost.

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