Of the many things Jeffrey Baldwin's father remembers, it was how much his son loved to dress up as Superman and to jump off chairs to try and fly.
Now, visitors to Toronto's Greenwood Park can share in this memory, with a new statue paying tribute to the young boy. The sculpture and bench were unveiled in the park Saturday, according to CBC.
Baldwin died of starvation in 2002 at age five while in the care of his grandparents, who were both later convicted of second-degree murder.
Ottawa father Todd Boyce launched an Indiegogo campaign to create a statue of Baldwin dressed as Superman, and Toronto artist Ruth Abernethy was commissioned to create it. But the project hit a snag after DC Comics said it wouldn't allow the 'S' logo to be used on his outfit because it didn't want to be associated with child abuse. The company reversed its decision after it received negative reaction from fans.
While the sculpture is meant to show the joy of being a child, Boyce told the Toronto Star it has another meaning.
"It’s also to remind people that child abuse does happen, and if they’re not vigilant reporting the signs of it, then this tragedy could repeat itself."