HAMPTON. VA. (WAVY) — The City of Hampton Parks & Recreation posted a notice that said a memorial for a missing boy must come down Feb. 5.

The fence is named after 4-year-old Codi Bigsby, who was reported missing two years ago.
The Codi Fence has become a place for the community to gather and mourn.

But now, all the symbols of hope tethered to it must be removed.

The fence is on Old Buckroe Road along the Hampton Soccer Field, near the apartment where Codi was last seen.

For two years, the Codi fence was full of stuffed animals and signs. It was a meeting spot for events and searches for the boy.

On Jan. 31, the community gathered to pay tribute to Codi and remove items from the fence, which marked two years since Codi was reported missing by his father, Cory Bigsby. Police believe Codi is dead even though his body has yet to be found.

Codi’s story has inspired a new bill that would mandate a CODI Alert, which widens the parameters of what’s required to report a child missing.

Cory was charged with his murder and concealing a dead body in the case. He was also charged with several counts of child neglect.

An advocate rallying for justice for Codi said someone on the Parks and Rec board told her the items must be removed because a charge was made in his death.

“I asked him to please, let’s just keep it up for a little bit longer. And he’s like, we are going to leave it up past the two-year mark,” Nancy Strickland, of We Are Codi’s Voice said. “So he was like, it will come down on February 5th. So if there’s anything that you want, go ahead and come out there and get what you need or get what you want,”

She said anything left behind in the city would be put into storage until someone claims it. However, as of Monday morning, all items other than a Merry Christmas sign were removed.

“It breaks my heart that we have to have to take it down,” said Strickland. “They can take the fence, but they can never take your memory from me. I love you Codi Bigsby.”

Cory’s jury trial is scheduled for March 4, 2024.