Shaq pays for NC girl's funeral

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5-year-old Shaniya Davis

By WBTV Staff & By Tom Roussey - bio l email

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV/AP) - Basketball star Shaquille O'Neal has paid for the funeral of 5-year-old Shaniya Davis, whose kidnapping and slaying received national news coverage.

On Friday afternoon, O'Neal said he was touched by the case of Shaniya Davis after seeing a news report on TV.

The girl's body was found November 16 beside a rural road.

Her mother Antionette Davis, is charged with human trafficking and child abuse involving prostitution. A second suspect, Mario McNeill, is charged with murder, rape and kidnapping.

While he didn't talk on camera, O'Neal told us he was moved after seeing the story about the little girl and wanted to do something to help.

"That's Shaq," said teammate LeBron James did. "He has a huge heart and not just stuff that happens in his backyard, but all across America and the world. That's the type of person he is."

O'Neal is being applauded across the country for his depth of unselfish giving in this case.

"If we can help give back in any way shape or form, and sometimes it's monetary, sometimes it's having a presence in certain situations, you can definitely touch and change lives," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said about the gesture from O'Neal.

Coach Brown added, "It's a terrible situation. It's a sad situation. It's unfortunate, but he's bringing a little bit of light to it, if there is any brought to it."

More than 2,000 people attended Shaniya's funeral Sunday. The funeral home declined to say what the service cost, but said that children's funerals usually cost around $4,500.

"I wanted her to have a funeral that would be as beautiful as she was." O'Neal said in a statement.