Codi Bigsby disappearance: Two years since 4-year-old was reported missing from Hampton

HAMPTON, Va. — Wednesday night, dozens gathered to light a candle in honor of Codi Bigsby, two years after the 4-year-old boy was reported missing from his home in Hampton.

“Codi’s a very special baby. I think he captured the hearts of a lot of us," said Nancy Strickland, who started the Facebook group "We Are Codi's Voice."

The candlelight vigil was held at Buckroe Pointe Apartments, where a tribute for the boy has stood since 2022. The memorial is known as "Codi's Fence."

But as the night came to an end, people removed the tributes they placed years ago.

“Just surprised that they let it stay this long. Normally memorials don’t last two years…So, we appreciate, we’re grateful, but we’re also sad," said Annette Parker-Williams, who attended the vigil. 

“It’s sad, you know, that the fence has to come down, but we kind of knew," Strickland said. "It couldn’t be up here forever.”

A notice on the fence says crews will remove all items next week, but people who attended the vigil say the fence will always serve as an unofficial reminder of Codi.

“I just love Codi, everything about him. He touched everybody’s heart," said attendee Amanda Randall.

Codi's disappearance was reported on Jan. 31, 2022, from a home in the 100 block of Ranalet Drive, in the Buckroe Beach section of the city. Since then, search teams and community members have banded together at different times to search for the child, but he has never been found.

Codi's father, Cory Bigsby, was charged with murder and the concealment of a body, along with dozens of counts of child neglect and abuse for allegedly leaving his other children home alone, charges unrelated to Codi's disappearance. Bigsby is set to go on trial from March 4 through 8.

RELATED: What's a 'no body' trial and how does it play a role in Cory Bigsby's case?

Court documents obtained by 13News Now in June 2023 state that Bigsby is accused of murdering his son "on or about" June 18, 2021, and doing something to conceal his body with malicious intent and hide the crime from law enforcement.

The documents didn't explain why Codi wasn't reported missing until Jan. 31, 2022, seven months after the date of the crime listed.