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In this file photo taken on November 7, Isaac Hernandez and Matthias Coronel watch Jesus Martinez sign a remembrance board at a makeshift memorial at the NRG Park grounds where eight people died in a crowd surge at the Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas. Photo by THOMAS SHEA /AFP via Getty Images
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Rapper Travis Scott’s offer to cover the funeral expenses for the nine-year-old victim of his Astroworld Festival crowd crush has been rejected by the boy’s family.
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Ezra Blount was one of 10 people who lost their lives in the tragedy at the beginning of the month, and Scott offered to cover the family’s funeral expenses, but his generosity has been rebuffed by lawyer Bob Hilliard in a letter, obtained by Rolling Stone, to the rap star’s legal representative, Daniel Petrocelli.
“Your client’s offer is declined,” it reads. “I have no doubt Mr. Scott feels remorse. His journey ahead will be painful. He must face and hopefully see that he bears some of the responsibility for this tragedy.”
Blount was laid to rest in Texas on Nov. 24.
“Travis is devastated by the tragedy that occurred at the Astroworld Festival and grieves for the families whose loved ones died or were injured,” Petrocelli’s letter read. “Travis is committed to doing his part to help the families who have suffered and begin the long process of healing in the Houston community. Toward that end, Travis would like to pay for the funeral expenses for Mr. Blount’s son.”
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In his reply, Hilliard insisted that Scott “must respect” that his own “devastation” is nothing compared to that of Ezra’s family.
“There may be, and I hope there is, redemption and growth for him on the other side of what this painful process will be – and perhaps one day, once time allows some healing for the victims and acceptance of responsibility by Mr. Scott and others, (Ezra’s father) Treston and Mr. Scott might meet, as there is also healing in that,” the lawyer wrote.
“To lose a child in the manner Treston lost Ezra compounds the pain. As a parent, Treston cannot help but agonize over the terrible idea that Ezra’s last minutes were filled with terror, suffering, suffocation and worst of all surrounded by strangers, his dad unconscious underneath the uncontrolled crowd.”
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Hilliard also told Rolling Stone Scott’s camp previously attempted to set up an in-person meeting between the rap star and Ezra’s family members.
“We were pretty firm,” Hillard said. “With all due respect, no. This isn’t a photo-op story here. This is a ‘who’s responsible and why’ type of investigation. And he’s (Scott) on the short list.”
Tragic Ezra was found dead at the festival site in Houston, Texas after he and his father became trapped in crowd surge.
Treston Blount reportedly passed out.
“We don’t really know what happened to Ezra after that,” the boy’s grandmother, Tericia Blount, said.
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