Kohen Wiley’s mom, Vellesiya Wiley, is going viral for flashing cash at his funeral over the weekend. The one-year-old boy was shot dead by police during a chase through a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, Mississippi on June 14.
Police responded to a shoplifting call and spotted the suspect’s vehicle driving through the parking lot. Police claimed the suspect drove toward them and almost hit one officer.
However, Kohen’s mother, Vellesiya, told a different story in a video published by civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Vellesiya Wiley said her friend paid for Pampers at the self-checkout kiosk inside the Walmart. They left the store and police stopped her friend. “I kept walking because it had nothing to do with me,” she said.
Vellesiya said police drew their weapons when she and her friend got into the car with her son. She said she held Kohen up so officers could see that a baby was in the car.
As her friend put the car in reverse, she hit another vehicle. Vellesiya said she heard three gunshots. “One of the shots hit [Kohen] in his rib cage and the other shots hit [the driver] in her arm and her thigh.”
Vellesiya, 20, denied allegations that her friend drove directly at the police. “They was all on the right side and she was driving toward the left,” she said. Vellesiya claimed the police “purposefully shot in the car.”
Kohen’s funeral was held on Saturday, June 27. Children carried Kohen’s tiny casket to a white, horse-drawn carriage. Vellesiya is shown in social media posts holding cash while smiling at the funeral.
Vellesiya and Kohen’s father are seen riding a horse-drawn carriage together. X.com users expressed disappointment over their “prom” attire.
One person wrote: “I have so many questions: Why are they in a horse drawn carriage? Why is she dressed like that for a funeral? Why pose with money like it’s a rap video? And most importantly, Why are they smiling and looking so happy!?”
Another person wrote: “She’s happy, she got money and doesn’t have to raise a kid.”
A third person commented: “They’re posing for prom pictures dressed in white in a horse drawn carriage…at their kid’s funeral.”
This is literally mom and dad at the funeral.. wtf pic.twitter.com/7goGjLZIx2
— Adam Leofric (@AdamLeofric) June 29, 2026