Funeral Services for Samantha Runnion

July 24, 2002 -- Thousands are expected to attend a funeral service today for Samantha Runnion, the five-year-old whose brutal kidnapping and killing shocked the nation.

Samantha's parents will hold their little girl's funeral just two days before what would have been her sixth birthday.

Samantha's father, Derek Jackson, and mother, Erin Runnion, have been emotionally devastated by their loss.

The little brown-eyed girl is known as "Samantha" to the world, but her parents often called her by her nickname, "Peanut Butter."

In video released today on Good Morning America, Jackson chronicled her first steps in his family home video collection.

Remembering Samantha

Even after Samantha moved to California with her mother, he kept in touch with his little girl.

A year ago this week, Jackson wrote a note to Samantha saying, "On your birthday I'll be thinking of you, Samantha. I'll be thinking about my beautiful daughter. I'll be remembering that 5 years ago — I held you in my arms."

Samantha was playing outside with a 5-year-old friend when she was abducted from her front yard in Stanton, Calif., on July 15.

Police arrested Alejandro Avila, 27, in the slaying of Samantha last week. Prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against Avila on Monday, alleging murder, kidnapping and two counts of forcible lewd acts on a child.

The service for Samantha will be held tonight at the Crystal Cathedral, near Samantha's home.

The famed cathedral seats more than 2,800 people, and the servicewill be open to the public.

Samantha's murder and several other high-profile cases of child abduction haveparents across the nation worried aboutwhat police are calling "stranger danger."

Parents have held a seminar on child safety in Samantha's hometown and the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors have voted to create a countywide child-abduction alert system.