Police say that the 45-year-old woman was killed by her boyfriend and one of her kids also jumped in try and defend her.
Trigger warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of violence that some readers may find distressing
A mother-of-five was stabbed to death in front of her children at her East Los Angeles home on the night of September 30. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department believes that the suspect is the woman's boyfriend, reports PEOPLE. Milagros Angelica Medina was 45 years old at the time of her death. Officials said they rushed to the scene after receiving a call of an assault with a deadly weapon on Friday evening. They found a woman at the scene suffering from multiple apparent stab wounds. Medina was transported to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Family members claimed that Medina tried to end her relationship with her boyfriend before the fatal stabbing. "She just didn't want to be with him anymore because she didn't feel safe," a friend of Medina who wished to remain anonymous told FOX 11. "She hadn't slept for three days straight, and she always told her kids to keep an eye on him, to see if he would do anything to her." The horrifying stabbing took place in front of Medina's children aged 3, 11, 13, 15 and 18, along with the 18-year-old's close friend.
"It was really gruesome," she said. "Her five children saw it, [along with] her three-year-old son. There was a lot of blood splattered everywhere. The blood went onto him [the 3-year-old], and that's what really broke me." One of the kids even tried to defend her mother. "Her (Medina's) 11-year-old daughter tried to defend the mom. I thought it was really brave, but they (the children) shouldn't be going through this," she said. The children are terrified of the boyfriend returning. "We do not feel safe at all," said the friend.
The children are now orphans having also lost their father to a medical condition four years ago, per a GoFundMe description. Medina's daughter's friend has started the fundraiser to help the family in need. She wrote that the incident took place "in East Los Angeles, California near Alliance Morgan McKinzie High School on South Townsend Avenue" and she hopes that the perpetrator will soon be behind bars. She addressed her best friend adding, "I love you so so much and don’t forget that I will always be there for you and your siblings."
Calif. Mom Is Stabbed to Death in Front of 5 Her Children, Who Lost Their Father 4 Years Ago https://t.co/eJ7WDrmCke
— People (@people) October 3, 2022
Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500, or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.
If you are being subjected to domestic abuse or know of anyone else who is, please visit The National Domestic Violence Hotline website or call 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522.
References:
https://people.com/crime/calif-mom-stabbed-to-death-in-front-of-5-children/
https://www.foxla.com/news/woman-stabbed-to-death-by-boyfriend-inside-east-la-home
https://www.gofundme.com/f/milagros-angelica-medina
Cover Image Source: GoFundMe