A protest was held in Keansburg today to help get a father to the United States to see his daughter laid to rest.

Kenroy Smith's daughter, 11-year-old AbbieGail Smith, was found dead last week on the roof of her apartment building. Her funeral is scheduled for Monday, but her father may not be able to attend because of his previous criminal record.

Smith was denied a visa by the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica because he was deported in 2001 for a drug offense.

Residents in the area say that Smith should be able to attend the funeral, regardless of his criminal record.

"Everybody has their faults, everybody makes mistakes," said Christina Kilpatrick, a neighbor of the victim. "I feel like he should be allowed. It's his child that we're talking about."

An 18-year-old neighbor is accused of stabbing Abbiegail to death.