Two years in the past, a mindless capturing stunned San Antonio as a six-year-old died in her mom’s hands on what will have to were a joyous day.
“She took her last breath in my arms,” stated Kassandra Mendoza.
“It’s a random act by a reckless, heartless individual who could not have cared less where those bullets wound up,” stated Chief William McManus.
Three years later, the group was once stunned once more after the suspect in Saryah Perez’s demise was once given a 25-year plea deal.
May 9, 2021
Mother’s Day is supposed for birthday celebration, however for Kassandra Mendoza, Mother’s Day 2021 was once the rest however completely satisfied.
It was once a circle of relatives custom for Mendoza and Julio Garcia to take their children to automobile membership gatherings.
Kassandra’s daughter, 6-year-old Saryah, liked automobile presentations along with her circle of relatives.
“She would tell her dad, ‘Look at the wheels, dad! They’re big! Look at all of the lights,” Mendoza stated. “She begged her dad to take her. That is what we did. She was there having fun enjoying herself.”
They arrived on the amassing on Commerce and twenty fourth streets at the West Side and the youngsters had a good time taking a look on the automobiles.
As the circle of relatives was once about to depart, an altercation broke out.
“Before I knew it, I was looking on the left-hand side and people were banging on the door saying I hit the truck. They opened my door, and someone hit me in the nose. I was bleeding,” Garcia stated.
Cell telephone video confirmed a number of folks surrounding their car.
In a 2nd video, you’ll pay attention gunshots because the circle of relatives’s automobile drives off.
The pictures are coming from a person at the left-hand aspect of the display.
“Then I heard Kassandra say something hit her,” Garcia stated.
As the circle of relatives stopped at a close-by gasoline station, they learned Mendoza were grazed within the again via a bullet and as they checked the youngsters, they spotted Saryah was once bleeding.
“She had Sayrah in her hands crying and I see so much blood I thought she was hit in the neck,” Garcia stated.
The kid was once hit within the higher torso and would later die from her wounds.
The circle of relatives was once devastated and the police instantly started their investigation and looked for the suspect.
Suspect recognized
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus had officials paintings across the clock till that individual was once in handcuffs.
With eyewitness accounts and proof from the scene, it didn’t take lengthy for police to search out the suspect.
The subsequent day he was once in custody.
″The suspect on this case is Andrew Rae Elizondo, he’s 23 years outdated,” McManus stated.
McManus defined that Elizondo was once aware of Mendoza, however that this was once now not a home violence state of affairs.
″At about 2:30 he was once arrested and charged with capital murder,” McManus stated. “I don’t have words that describe the atrocity that was committed by Mr. Elizondo. It’s a random act by a reckless, heartless, individual, who not have cared less where those bullets wound up.”
While Elizondo was once now at the back of bars, Saryah’s circle of relatives was once coping with her tragic loss.
“I will never forgive Andrew, never,” Mendoza stated.
Court headache
When Elizondo was once first of all arrested, he was once going through a capital murder rate however that was once later downgraded to murder after the indictment.
Saryah’s circle of relatives attended numerous court docket hearings over 3 years.
In August 2023, Elizondo authorized a plea deal and was once sentenced to twenty-five years in jail.
The kid’s circle of relatives had a possibility to confront Elizondo whilst in court docket.
“I forgive you for what you did to me. I forgive you for ripping my child away, but I hope you suffer the next 25 years,” Mendoza stated.
Saryah’s legacy
Cynthia Alvarez, Saryah’s grandmother, created a nonprofit to honor her granddaughter; it’s referred to as Saryah Lee’Anna’s Blessings.
They try to provide again to the group via backpack giveaways, Thanksgiving dinners, and Christmas items.
Following the Robb Elementary capturing in Uvalde, Alvarez stated they presented enhance to the households who misplaced their kids.
In May 2022, Alvarez stated now could be the time to be unhappy and offended and insist trade to stop extra college shootings.
“We need to come together. We need to take a stand, and we need to tell them to put those guns down. They need to be put down because now it’s small children that are losing their lives for no reason at all, and it needs to stop,” Alvarez stated.
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