MURDER VICTIM. HER CASE IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE WORST CASES OF CHILD ABUSE IN NEW YORK CITY HISTORY.
             ELISA WAS MURDERED BY HER CRACK ADDICTED MOTHER, AWILDA LOPEZ,IN 1995 IN MANHATTAN. ELISA WAS BORN ADDICTED TO CRACK. HER FATHER, GUSTAVO IZQUIERDO WAS A COMMUNITY AIDE WORKER AT A HOMELESS SHELTER WHO HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH AWILDA LOPEZ, A SHELTER RESIDENT. BECAUSE ELISA WAS BORN WITH HER MOTHER'S COCAINE IN HER VEINS, GUSTAVO WAS IMMEDIATELY AWARDED CUSTODY OF ELISA. GUSTAVO LOVED ELISA AND TOOK GOOD CARE OF HER. HE TOOK PARENTING CLASSES AND EVERY MORNING BEFORE SCHOOL, HE'D GET UP AND IRON A NEW DRESS FOR HER AND PUT HER BEAUTIFUL HAIR INTO PIGTAILS AND BRAIDS AND BUNS. THE TWO WENT ON OUTINGS TO THE CIRCUS, THE PARK, THE MOVIES. HE ENROLLED HER IN A PRESCHOOL THAT THE PRINCE OF GREECE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH. AN AIDE HAD ESTABLISHED A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PRINCE AND THE SCHOOL. ELISA WAS LEARNING TO DANCE AND IMPRESSED PRINCE MICHAEL SO MUCH THAT HE OFFERED TO PAY HER ENTIRE PRIVATE SCHOOL EDUCATION, ALL THE WAY UP TO COLLEGE. THEN AWILDA GOT CUSTODY OF ELISA AND TOOK HER OUT OF THE SCHOOL SHE WAS FLOURISHING IN AND ENROLLED HER IN PUBLIC SCHOOL. SHE WOULD TAKE THE KIDS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT LOOKING FOR CRACK. SHE KEPT ELISA LOCKED UP IN A ROOM. ELISA WAS FORCED TO URINATE AND DEFECATE IN A POT IN HER ROOM. ONCE ON A FAMILY TRIP TO CONEY ISLAND IN BROOKLYN, (AN AMUSEMENT PARK BY THE OCEAN)AWILDA'S HUSBAND, CARLOS LOPEZ, THREW ELISA INTO THE OCEAN THREE TIMES, TRYING TO RID HER OF DEMONS! THOUGH LOPEZ CONFESSED TO THIS IN A POLICE STATEMENT TO DET. JAMES TURNBALL, ON THE DAY ELISA DIED, HE WAS NEVER PROSECUTED FOR THIS CRIME IN BROOKLYN! AWILDA WOULDN'T ALLOW ELISA TO EAT WITH HER SIBLINGS, WOULDN'T LET HER WATCH TV OR PLAY WITH HER BROTHERS AND SISTERS. SHE VIOLATED ELISA WITH A TOOTHBRUSH. SHE TIED ELISA UP AND VIOLATED HER WITH A HAIRBRUSH INTO THE RECTUM, CLAIMING SHE WAS TRYING TO GET SNAKES OUT OF ELISA'S STOMACH BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT ELISA WAS POSSESSED. AWILDA WOULD TURN UP THE MUSIC SO THE NEIGHBORS WOULDN'T HEAR HER DAUGHTER SCREAMING. AWILDA FORCED ELISA TO EAT HER OWN FECES, AND HELD HER UPSIDE DOWN AND MOPPED THE FLOOR WITH THE LITTLE GIRL'S HEAD. ELISA'S SCREAMS WERE OFTEN HEARD COMING FROM THE APARTMENT LATE AT NIGHT. ELISA'S FATHER CAME UP WITH A PLAN TO SEND HER TO CUBA TO KEEP HER SAFE FROM AWILDA BUT AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT, HE DIED ON THE DAY HE WAS PLANNING ON PUTTING HER ON THE PLANE. AWILDA LATER MURDERED ELISA BY SMASHING HER HEAD INTO A CONCRETE WALL. SHE WAS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING. THE THANKSGIVING EVE MASSACRE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO READ HER FULL STORY, IT'S PRESENTED BELOW.
             ELISA IZQUIERDO WAS A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE GIRL BORN TO GUSTAVO IZQUIERDO AND AWILDA LOPEZ. GUSTAVO, A CUBAN IMMIGRANT, WAS BORN IN HAVANA, CUBA. WHILE GROWING UP IN CUBA, DANCE WAS HIS PASSION. IN THE EVENINGS AND ON WEEKENDS HE'D CHOREOGRAPH FOLKLORIC DANCES FOR LOCAL COMPANIES AND SOCIALIZE WITH BALLET DANCERS. IN MAY OF 1980, THOUSANDS OF CUBANS BOARDED BOATS HEADED FOR MIAMI. GUSTAVO, WHO WANTED TO TEACH DANCE AND WHO WANTED A BETTER LIFE FOR HIMSELF, ALSO DECIDED TO MAKE THE JOURNEY. HE ARRIVED IN MIAMI, MAY 17th 1980 AND FROM THERE WENT TO NEW YORK CITY. REALIZING HE'D NEED A STEADY PAYCHECK, GUSTAVO TOOK A JOB AS A COMMUNITY AIDE WORKER IN A HOMELESS SHELTER IN THE FORT GREENE SECTION OF BROOKLYN, NY. IN 1987 HE MET AWILDA LOPEZ, A SHELTER RESIDENT WITH A DRUG PROBLEM. THEY HAD A RELATIONSHIP AND TWO YEARS LATER, THEIR DAUGHTER, ELISA WAS BORN AT WOODHULL HOSPITAL. BECAUSE ELISA WAS BORN WITH HER MOTHER'S COCAINE IN HER VEINS, CUSTODY WAS GIVEN TO HER FATHER, GUSTAVO. GUSTAVO,AT 34, FOUND HIMSELF TO BE A SINGLE FATHER WITH A NEW BORN BABY GIRL. ON THE FIRST DAY THAT HE BROUGHT ELISA HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL, HE MADE PLENTY OF PANICKY PHONE CALLS TO FEMALE ACQUAINTANCES TO GET ADVICE ON TAKING CARE OF HER. CO-WORKER, CYNTHIA NULDROW RECALLED,"WE HELPED HIM WITH FORMULA, WE SHOWED HIM HOW TO CHANGE DIAPERS, COMB HER HAIR..HE CAUGHT ON FINE..HE LOVED THAT LITTLE GIRL." ANY TIME BABY ELISA WAS IN DISTRESS, HER FATHER ATTENDED TO HER EVERY NEED. ONCE WHEN SHE RAN A SLIGHT FEVER, HER FATHER PANICKED AND CALLED MS.NULDROW WHO ADVISED HIM TO COVER HER WITH A BLANKET AND GIVE HER BABY MEDICINE. WHEN SHE WAS TEETHING AND IN PAIN, HER FATHER AGAIN CALLED FOR HELP AND WAS TOLD TO BUY A SPECIAL GEL FOR HER GUMS. GUSTAVO TOOK PARENTING CLASSES AT THE LOCAL Y.W.C.A. AND AFTER HE GOT THE BASICS DOWN, HE THRIVED IN HIS NEW ROLE AS FATHER. GUSTAVO WORKED LONG HOURS AT THE SHELTER, EVERY DAY AND EVERY OTHER WEEKEND, EARNING $1675 A MONTH TO TAKE CARE OF ELISA. WHILE HE WAS AT WORK HE LEFT ELISA WITH NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS. SOMETIMES HE'D BRING HER TO WORK AND HAVE CO-WORKERS WATCH HER.
             IN 1990 WHEN ELISA WAS ONE YEAR OLD, GUSTAVO ENROLLED HER IN THE YWCA'S MONTESSORI PRESCHOOL. EVERY MORNING HE WOULD GET UP AND IRON A NEW DRESS FOR HER AND PUT HER BEAUTIFUL HAIR INTO PIGTAILS AND BRAIDS AND BUNS. BARBARA SIMMONS, ELISA'S TEACHER AT THE PRESCHOOL, RECALLED, "HOW MANY MEN BRUSH THEIR LITTLE GIRL'S HAIR AND PART THEIR HAIR IN A PERFECT STRAIGHT LINE?" ELISA WAS DESCRIBED AS HAVING A SPECIAL ENCHANTED AURA, A BRILLIANT SMILE AND FLASHING BLACK EYES. EVERYBODY LOVED HER. THE SCHOOL'S DIRECTOR, PHYLLIS BRYCE, RECALLED,"SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL,RADIANT. SHE HAD AN INNER STRENGTH AND ALOT OF POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH."
             ELISA AND HER FATHER, GUSTAVO, HAD MANY HAPPY TIMES TOGETHER. THEY WENT ON OUTINGS TO THE CIRCUS, TO THE PARK, TO THE MOVIES. HE HAD STACKS OF PICTURES OF HER IN HIS WALLET. ONCE WHEN ELISA TURNED 4, GUSTAVO RENTED A BANQUET HALL, COMPLETE WITH CHANDELIERS, TO CELEBRATE HER BAPTISM INTO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. BARBARA WOODRUFF, WHO LIVED NEXT DOOR TO GUS AND ELISA RECALLED, "WHEN YOU SAW THIS MAN WALK DOWN THE STREET WITH HIS KID, HE WAS A PROUD DADDY. HE WAS REALLY PROUD. SHE WAS JUST AS PROUD BEING HIS DAUGHTER AS HE WAS OF BEING HER FATHER." GUSTAVO'S FRIEND, MARY CRESPO, RECALLED,"SHE WAS HIS LIFE. HE WOULD ALWAYS SAY ELISA WAS HIS PRINCESS."
             IN 1991 ELISA'S MOTHER, AWILDA LOPEZ, PETITIONED THE COURTS FOR UNSUPERVISED WEEKEND VISITATIONS WITH HER DAUGHTER. BY THIS TIME, SHE WAS MARRIED TO A MAN NAMED CARLOS LOPEZ, SHE'D REGAINED CUSODY OF HER TWO OLDER KIDS, RUBENCITO AND KASEY,(AWILDA WOULD GO ON TO HAVE THREE MORE KIDS: TAISHA, CARLOS AND RAFAEL) AND SOCIAL WORKERS SIGNED AN AFFADAVIT STATING SHE WAS OFF DRUGS AND SETTLED INTO A PERMANENT ADDRESS. THE COURTS GRANTED THE VISITATION REQUESTS. DURING THESE WEEKEND VISITS ELISA WAS BEING ABUSED. CARLOS LOPEZ,A MAINTENANCE WORKER, WAS BEATING ON BOTH AWILDA AND ELISA. NEIGHBORS WOULD HEAR THE SOUNDS OF POTS AND PANS CRASHING AGAINST THE WALLS. ON ONE OF ELISA'S VISITS, CARLOS STABBED AWILDA 17 TIMES WITH A POCKET KNIFE AND ELISA WITNESSED IT. IT'S SAID THAT GUSTAVO KNEW OF THEIR ABUSE OF HIS DAUGHTER BECAUSE ELISA WOULD WAKE UP SCREAMING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, THOUGH SHE WAS TOILET TRAINED, SHE WOULD URINATE AND DEFECATE UNCONTROLLABLY, AND SHE HAD CUTS AND BRUISES AROUND HER VAGINA. ALICIA STULTZ, A FRIEND OF GUSTAVO'S, STATED THAT WHENEVER ELISA WOULD COME BACK FROM WEEKEND VISITS WITH HER MOTHER, SHE WOULD THROW UP AND REFUSE TO WALK INTO THE BATHROOM. THE SCHOOL'S DIRECTOR PHYLLIS BRYCE REPORTED TO THE AUTHORITIES THAT SHE SUSPECTED ELISA WAS BEING ABUSED BY HER MOTHER. ELISA, HERSELF, WAS QUOTED AS SAYING,"I DON'T WANT TO GO TO AWILDA. AWILDA HITS ME." IN 1992 GUSTAVO PETITIONED THE COURTS TO STOP THE WEEKEND VISITATIONS. THE VISITS STOPPED FOR AWHILE AND ELISA WAS BACK FULL TIME UNDER THE LOVING CARE OF HER FATHER.
             WHEN GUSTAVO FELL BEHIND ON TUITION PAYMENTS AT THE MONTESSORI PRESCHOOL, THE STAFF WAS SO FOND OF HIM AND ELISA THAT THEY RECOMMENDED HER TO PRINCE MICHAEL OF GREECE WHO WAS A BENEFACTOR OF THE SCHOOL. AN AIDE HAD MADE A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PRINCE AND THE SCHOOL. PRINCE MICHAEL RECALLED MEETING ELISA,"SHE JUMPED INTO MY ARMS AND SHE WAS VERY SWEET AND SHE WOULDN'T LEAVE MY HANDS THE WHOLE TIME OF THE VISIT." PRINCE MICHAEL ERASED GUSTAVO'S $1,000 DEBT AND IN 1993 OFFERED TO FINANCE ELISA'S ENTIRE PRIVATE SCHOOL EDUCATION ALL THE WAY UP TO COLLEGE AT THE PRESTIGIOUS "BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL." AT CHRISTMAS, EASTER AND ON HER BIRTHDAY, THE PRINCE WOULD SEND HER GIFTS AND DURING HIS VISITS TO THE SCHOOL, THE PRINCE WOULD BRING HER STUFFED ANIMALS AND CLOTHES. THE LITTLE PRINCESS RESPONDED WITH THANK YOU NOTES AND PICTURES.
             IN 1994 ELISA CELEBRATED HER 5th BIRTHDAY AT THE MONTESSORI PRESCHOOL. SHE TOOK THE BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL SCREENING EXAM AND PASSED. SHE WAS SCHEDULED TO START CLASSES IN THE FALL. GUSTAVO, WHO BECAME SICK WITH CANCER, WAS CONCERNED THAT AWILDA WOULD REGAIN CUSTODY OF ELISA. HE DEVELOPED A PLAN THAT HE SHARED WITH HIS COUSIN, ELSA CANIZARES, TO SEND ELISA AWAY TO CUBA PERMANENTLY, TO KEEP HER SAFE FROM AWILDA. GUSTAVO IZQUIERDO LAPSED INTO A COMA ON THE DAY HE WAS PLANNING ON PUTTING ELISA ON THE PLANE. HE NEVER REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS AND A FEW DAYS LATER HE DIED OF CANCER. THE TICKETS WERE ALREADY PURCHASED. WITH THE DEATH OF GUSTAVO IZQUIERDO, ELISA'S FATE WAS SEALED.
             AFTER GUSTAVO DIED, THERE WAS A CUSTODY FIGHT FOR ELISA HELD AT BROOKLYN FAMILY COURT BEFORE JUDGE PHOEBE GREENBAUM. GUSTAVO'S COUSIN, ELSA CANIZARES, HAD PETITIONED THE COURT FOR CUSTODY. PHYLLIS BRYCE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE MONTESSORI SCHOOL AND PRINCE MICHAEL OF GREECE BOTH WROTE LETTERS TO THE JUDGE RECOMMENDING THAT ELSA CANIZARES BE GIVEN CUSTODY. ELSA CAME TO COURT ALONE. AWILDA, BY CONTRAST, SHOWED UP WITH HER LAWYER, WAS BACKED BY THE C.W.A. (CHILD WELFARE AUTHORITIES) AND WAS BEING SUPPORTED BY A GROUP CALLED PROJECT CHANCE. PROJECT CHANCE WAS A PARENTING PROGRAM FOR THE POOR RUN BY A MAN NAMED BART O'CONNOR. THE INCOMPETANT JUDGE, AWARDED CUSTODY OF ELISA TO HER MOTHER, AWILDA, DESPITE LETTERS AND WARNINGS THAT ELISA WAS PREVIOUSLY ABUSED. THIS IS THE SAME JUDGE WHO IN 1979 DENIED A FATHER CUSTODY OF HIS OWN SON BECAUSE SHE CONSIDERED THE GRANDPARENTS TO BE THE BOY'S "PSYCHOLOGICAL PARENTS.".
             ELISA, WHO WAS USE TO BEING THE APPLE OF HER DADDY'S EYE NOW FOUND HERSELF TO BE ONE OF SIX CHILDREN LIVING IN A CROWDED APARTMENT ON MANHATTAN'S LOWER EAST SIDE. AWILDA TOOK ELISA OUT OF THE MONTESSORI PRESCHOOL THAT WAS LOCATED IN BROOKLYN AND ENROLLED HER IN PUBLIC SCHOOL 126 IN MANHATTAN. SHE ALSO TOLD THE STAFF AT MONTESSORI THAT ELISA WOULD NOT BE ATTENDING THE BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL. THE STAFF AT THE PRESCHOOL PLEADED WITH AWILDA NOT TO DO THAT, SAYING THEY WOULD MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR ELISA TO COME TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY AND ALSO ARRANGE FOR HER TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO THE BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL IN THE FALL. AWILDA REFUSED. NOT ONLY DID ELISA JUST LOSE HER FATHER AND HER HOME BUT NOW SHE LOST HER ENTIRE PRIVATE SCHOOL EDUCATION THAT WAS PAID FOR UP TO COLLEGE. WHEN ELISA FIRST ENTERED MANHATTAN'S P.S.126 SHE WAS SAID TO BE FAIRLY HAPPY AND HAD MAKE BELIEVE BUS TRIPS WITH THE OTHER CHILDREN AT LUNCH HOUR. SOON THEREAFTER, SHE BECAME WITHDRAWN, HAD A BRAISE ON HER HEAD AND HAD AN UNEVEN WALK (THAT SUGGESTED AN INJURY).THE SCHOOL REPORTED THIS TO THE CHILD WELFARE AUTHORITIES BUT WAS TOLD THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO INVESTIGATE. AWILDA'S RESPONSE TO THIS WAS TO PULL ELISA OUT OF SCHOOL PERMANENTLY.
             AT HOME, ELISA'S LIFE WAS LIKE A NIGHTMARE STRAIGHT OUT OF HELL. WHEN ELISA STARTED ASKING WHERE HER FATHER WAS AND WHY HE WASN'T IN HER LIFE, AWILDA BARKED "BECAUSE HE'S DEAD"!!! AT FIRST, AWILDA CALLED UP THE DIRECTOR OF PROJECT CHANCE, BART O'CONNOR AND SAID SHE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ELISA. THAT ELISA WAS ACTING UP, DRAWING ON THE WALLS AND URINATING AND DEFECATING UNCONTROLLABLY AND SCARING THE OTHER KIDS. O'CONNOR CAME OVER AND FOUND ELISA COWERING IN A CORNER. SHE WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT HIM. O'CONNOR CALLED CWA WHOM HE SAYS TOLD HIM THEY WERE TO BUSY TO COME OVER. THIS WAS HIS FIFTH PHONE CALL TO THEM. HE GOT AWILDA COUNSELING BUT SOON THEREAFTER, SHE DROPPED OUT OF CONTACT WITH PROJECT CHANCE DUE TO DRUGS. SHE WAS SEEN AT NIGHT TRYING TO SELL ONE OF THE KIDS TRICYCLES FOR DRUG MONEY. SHE WOULD TAKE THE KIDS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT LOOKING FOR CRACK. SHE CALLED ELISA A "FILTHY LITTLE WHORE" AND A "MONGOLOID", SHE BECAME CONVINCED THAT ELISA WAS POSSESED BY THE DEVIL AND THOUGHT THAT HER FATHER PUT A SANTERIA SPELL ON HER. ONCE ON A FAMILY TRIP TO CONEY ISLAND IN BROOKLYN (AN AMUSEMENT PARK BY THE OCEAN) AWILDA'S HUSBAND, CARLOS LOPEZ, THREW ELISA INTO THE OCEAN 3 TIMES TO RID HER OF DEMONS! THOUGH LOPEZ CONFESSED TO THIS IN A POLICE STATEMENT GIVEN TO DETECTIVE JAMES TURNBULL ON THE DAY ELISA DIED, HE WAS NEVER PROSECUTED FOR THIS CRIME IN BROOKLYN! AWILDA WOULD KEEP ELISA LOCKED UP IN A ROOM FOR HOURS. ELISA WAS FORCED TO URINATE AND DEFECATE IN A POT IN HER ROOM. AWILDA WOULDN'T LET ELISA EAT, WATCH TV OR PLAY WITH HER FIVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS. AWILDA VIOLATED HER DAUGHTER WITH A TOOTHBRUSH. SHE TIED ELISA UP AND VIOLATED HER WITH A HAIRBRUSH INTO THE RECTUM, CLAIMING SHE WAS TRYING TO GET SNAKES OUT OF ELISA'S STOMACH BECAUSE SHE FELT ELISA WAS POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL. AWILDA WOULD THEN TURN UP THE STEREO SO THE NEIGHBOR'S WOULDN'T HEAR HER DAUGHTER SCREAMING. AWILDA WOULD PUT AMMONIA INTO ELISA'S MOUTH. SHE FORCED HER TO EAT HER OWN FECES AND HELD ELISA UPSIDE DOWN AND MOPPED THE FLOOR WITH THE LITTLE GIRL'S HEAD. ELISA'S SCREAMS WERE OFTEN HEARD COMING FROM THE APARTMENT LATE AT NIGHT, "MOMMY,MOMMY,PLEASE STOP! NO MORE! NO MORE! I'M SORRY!".
             ON NOVEMBER 15th, 1995, CARLOS LOPEZ WAS JAILED FOR VIOLATING HIS PAROLE AGREEMENT. ON NOVEMBER 20th, 1995, THE HORROR AT 75 PIKE STREET, APT.20-A, WAS ABOUT TO REACH IT'S CLIMAX. ELISA HAD STARTED URINATING AND DEFECATING UNCONTROLLABLY AGAIN AND AWILDA BECAME SO ENRAGED THAT SHE THREW HER TOWARDS THE BED SO HARD THAT ELISA'S HEAD GOT SLAMMED INTO A CONCRETE WALL. ON NOV.21st, THE NEXT MORNING, ELISA BEGAN DROOLING UNCONTROLABLLY AND TOLD HER MOTHER SHE WAS TIRED AND GOT BACK INTO BED. AWILDA CALLED ONE OF HER SISTERS ON THE PHONE AND TOLD HER THAT ELISA WAS LYING ON THE BED "RETARTED LOOKING" AND SHE WASN'T GETTING UP TO EAT OR USE THE BATHROOM. AWILDA'S SISTER TOLD HER TO TAKE ELISA TO THE HOSPITAL AND THAT SHE WOULD WATCH HER OTHER CHILDREN. AWILDA SAID SHE WOULD THINK ABOUT IT AFTER SHE FINISHES DOING THE DISHES. LATER THAT AFTERNOON WHEN AWILDA CHECKED ON ELISA, SHE FOUND ELISA COLD AND MOTIONLESS WITH HER TONGUE HANGING FROM HER MOUTH. AWILDA PANICKED AND WAS AFRAID TO CALL THE POLICE. AWILDA SAT IN HER HOUSE DRINKING ALCOHOL, HOPING THAT ELISA WOULD COME BACK TO LIFE. AFTERNOON TURNED INTO EVENING, EVENING TURNED INTO NIGHT AND NIGHT TURNED INTO THE NEXT MORNING. NOV.22nd.,1995. SOME 40 HOURS LATER, AWILDA KNOCKS ON HER DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOR'S DOOR, FRANCISCO SANTANA, AND SAYS "IT'S NOT TRUE, IT'S NOT TRUE". WHEN HE ASKED WHAT WASN'T TRUE, SHE SAID, "I THINK MY DAUGHTER IS DEAD." WHEN FRANCISCO RAN UPSTAIRS, HE FOUND ELISA MOTIONLESS AND CALLED 911. WHEN HE DID THIS, AWILDA RAN TO THE ROOF AND TRIED TO JUMP OFF BUT FRANCISCO GRABBED HER LEG, SAVING HER. WHEN RESCUE WORKERS FOUND ELISA IN HER BED, SHE HAD DEEP RED BLOTCHES POCKING (INDENTING) HER ENTIRE BODY, ON HER RIGHT HAND SIDE NEAR THE KIDNEY WAS AN ENORMOUS BRUISE, THERE WERE MORE BRUISES ON HER FACE AND AROUND HER TEMPLES, GHASTLY WOUNDS AROUND HER GENITALS, AND THE BONE OF HER RIGHT HAND PINKIE WAS JUTTING THROUGH THE SKIN. WHEN AWIDA WAS TAKEN INTO CUSODY, A RANTING AND WILD HAIRED AWILDA SCREAMED IN THE STREET, "I DIDN'T DO IT, I DIDN'T DO IT"! A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER THE DEATH OF HER BELOVED FATHER, 6 YEAR OLD ELISA IZQUIERDO WAS MURDERED BY HER MOTHER. IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING. THE THANKSGIVING EVE MASSACRE.
             THE AUTOPSY REPORT LISTED ELISA AS A VICTIM OF TORTURE. SHE WAS EMACIATED. THERE WAS NO PART OF HER BODY NOT CUT OR BRUISED. 30 CIRCULAR MARKS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT TO BE BURNS TURNED OUT TO BE IMPRESSIONS LEFT FROM THE STONE OF SOMEONE'S RING. ELISA DIED FROM HER BRAIN HEMORRAGING.
             AWILDA LOPEZ PLEADED GUILTY TO MURDER IN THE 2nd.DEGREE AND WAS SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS TO LIFE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE. CARLOS LOPEZ PLEADED GUILTY TO ATTEMPTED ASSAULT IN THE 2nd.DEGREE AND WAS SENTENCED TO 1 AND 1/2 TO 3 YEARS IN PRISON FOR ASSAULTING ELISA. HIS ATTACK ON HER OCCURED ON OCT.31st.1995 (Halloween,), 3 WEEKS BEFORE SHE WAS BEATEN TO DEATH BY AWILDA. CARLOS WAS IN JAIL WHEN ELISA DIED AND PROSECUTORS DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO CHARGE HIM WITH ASSAULT. ADRIANO NAVALO, THE CPS SOCIAL WORKER IN CHARGED OF ELISA'S CASE WAS FIRED FROM HIS JOB. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 20 YEARS THAT A SOCIAL WORKER WAS FIRED IN NEW YORK CITY IN RESPONSE TO THE DEATH OF A CHILD.
            Â THE COMMUNITY RAISED MONEY TO BURY ELISA BUT THE FUNERAL WAS ULTIMATELY DONATED. SERVICES WERE HELD AT THE PONCE FUNERAL HOME IN BROOKLYN,NY. MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE WERE IN ATTENDANCE, INCLUDING THE THEN MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY, RUDOLPH GIULIANI. THERE WAS SOME CONTENTION OVER THE DISPOSITION OF THE BODY. THE IZQUIERDO SIDE OF THE FAMILY WANTED ELISA BURIED WITH HER FATHER, WHILE THE MOTHER'S SIDE OF THE FAMILY FLAT OUT REFUSED. AT THE FUNERAL, THE TWO SIDES STAYED APART. THE FUNERAL HOME, HAVING RULES FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, TOOK THE POSITION THAT REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, CUSTODY GOES TO THE MOTHER. THEY AWARDED ELISA'S BODY TO AWILDA! EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD MONEY TO BURY HER, THE LOPEZ SIDE OF THE FAMILY DECIDED TO BURY ELISA ON TOP OF SOMEONE ELSE'S COFFIN! THIS OTHER PERSON IS NOT SOMEONE THAT ELISA KNEW SINCE THEY DIED BEFORE SHE WAS BORN. NOT ONLY DID THEY KEEP HER AWAY FROM HER FATHER, BUT THEY DUMPED HER BODY ON TOP OF SOMEONE'S COFFIN THAT SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW! FOR YEARS HER GRAVE HAD NO HEADSTONE, JUST A LITTLE PLASTIC MARKER. THE ONLY HEADSTONE THAT WAS THERE WAS THE ERECT HEADSTONE OF THE PERSON BURIED UNDERNEATH HER. YEARS, NOT MONTHS, BUT YEARS LATER, THEY FINALLY GOT HER A 7 X 7 INCH HEADSTONE THAT LIES FLAT IN FRONT OF THE ERECT STONE OF THE OTHER PERSON. I BELIEVE A GREAT WRONG WAS DONE IN 1995 BY NOT BURYING ELISA WITH HER FATHER. IT'S NOT TO LATE TO CORRECT THAT WRONG. THIS LITTLE GIRL BELONGS WITH HER FATHER OR AT THE VERY LEAST, SHE SHOULD HAVE HER OWN RESTING PLACE. IT'S NOT TO LATE TO CORRECT THAT WRONG.
             AFTER ELISA'S DEATH, A LAW WAS ENACTED IN NEW YORK STATE CALLED "ELISA'S LAW". THE LAW WAS SIGNED INTO EFFECT ON THE DAY AFTER WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ELISA'S 7th BIRTHDAY. THE LAW LOOSENS THE VEIL OF CONFIDENTIALITY SURROUNDING CHILD WELFARE CASES. PRIOR TO THIS LAW, STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS WERE PROHIBITED FROM DISCUSSING DETAILS ABOUT CHILD WELFARE CASES. AS A RESULT, RESPONSIBILITY FOR ERRORS OR INCOMPETANCE WERE RARELY FIXED. ELISA'S LAW HOLDS CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES PUBLICLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS BY ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO KNOW DETAILS OF THE CASES. WHEN THE PUBLIC CAN SEE WHERE MISTAKES WERE MADE, THE MISTAKES CAN BE RECTIFIED.
             IN RESPONSE TO THE DEATH OF ELISA IZQUIERDO, THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY, RUDOLPH GIULIANI, CREATED AN AGENCY CALLED, "THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES",(ACS) IN JANUARY OF 1996. THIS ORGANIZATION WOULD REPLACE THE CITY'S CWA ORGANIZATION. ACS WOULD BE THE FIRST FREE STANDING AGENCY IN THE CITY'S HISTORY DEVOTED ONLY TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES AND REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE MAYOR.
             ELISA'S DEATH ALSO LAUNCHED A CRUSADE TO OPEN UP JUVENILE COURT PROCEEDINGS IN NEW YORK CITY. WITH THE INTENSE MEDIA ATTENTION SURROUNDING HER DEATH, THE MEDIA, SPEARHEADED BY THE NEWSPAPER, THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, WANTED ACCESS TO THE THEN PRIVATE JUVENILE HEARINGS THAT WOULD DETERMINE THE FATE OF ELISA'S FIVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS. THE MEDIA LAUNCHED A CRUSADE TO OPEN UP JUVENILE COURT HEARINGS IN NEW YORK CITY AND ULTIMATELY WERE SUCCESSFUL.
             THOUGH ELISA HAS BEEN GONE NOW FOR 13 YEARS, SHE IS STILL VERY MUCH LOVED AND MISSED DEARLY TO THIS DAY. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THAT. SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER FIVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, RUBEN, KASEY, TAISHA, CARLOS AND RAFAEL.
             I REALIZE THAT THIS BIOGRAPHY IS VERY GRAPHIC BUT THE REASON I DECIDED TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE DETAILS IS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU, THE READER, TO FORGET ELISA'S STORY. IF I HAD JUST WRITTEN THAT SHE WAS AN ABUSED CHILD, YOU THE READER, WOULD'VE GLANCED AT HER PICTURE AND FORGOTTEN ABOUT HER THE NEXT DAY.
             ELISA IS BURIED AT CYPRESS HILLS CEMETERY IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. SHE'S BURIED ONLY 30 FEET AWAY FROM ANOTHER FAMOUS CHILD MURDER VICTIM--NIXZMARY BROWN. IF YOU EVER GO TO CYPRESS HILLS, PLEASE VISIT BOTH GIRLS. HERE ON MYSPACE, PLEASE VISIT THE NEW NIXZMARY BROWN PAGE BY CLICKING ON NIXZMARY'S PICTURE. IT'S THE FIRST ONE IN ELISA'S FRIENDS SECTION.
             THANK YOU FOR CARING ENOUGH TO READ ELISA'S STORY.--YOUR FRIEND, DOVESBLOOD.
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