HARAHAN, La. (WGNO) – A Louisiana company is hoping to help the family of 6-year-old Bella Fontenelle, who was murdered in Harahan nearly three weeks ago.
“We have been traveling from Mandeville [to Harahan] for about three years now,” Christine Forcha, the co-owner of The Joshua Tree Company USA, said.
You will usually find Forcha and her husband, who own The Joshua Tree Company USA, at the Harahan Farmers Market on Sundays, but the past two weekends have been a little somber for them.
Forcha said, “Who could do something so horrible to a little girl?”
On the morning of April 26, Bella, who lived in Harahan, was found deceased after authorities say she was murdered by her father’s girlfriend.
“My heart dropped,” Forcha said. “I have a granddaughter who’s 6, and so it hit home on that, and being that her mom was a single home, that hit home for me as well, being a single mom for 10 years.”
Forcha decided to donate 30% of their sales from the past two weekends to Bella’s family.
“God put it on my heart, and we had to donate part of our sales,” Forcha explained. “That was what we wanted to do to help the family because I know the expenses of something unexpected and such a tragedy.”
Forcha says it’s important to come together when tragedy strikes.
“We may not reside in this community, but we are a part of this community every Sunday, and all the people who live in this community come and support the market, and so they’re a part of our lives,” Forcha said.
If you’d like to support the vendors helping Bella’s family, like The Joshua Tree Company USA and The Cute Little Craft Shop, visit the Harahan Farmers Market on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.