In late October 2019, I spoke with my sister, Maria, affectionately called “Rhonita” by those who were close to her. Our conversation was full of love, gratitude, and reflections on the joys of motherhood and how blessed we were to be raising our children and navigating this chapter of life together. I cherish that conversation with her, and I had no idea it would be my last.
Just days later, we received the devastating news: Rhonita’s car, found about 70 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border, had been riddled with bullets and set on fire. Her four children — Howie, 12, Krystal, 10, and 8-month-old twins Titus and Tiana — were in that car. We learned that they had been slaughtered by Mexican drug cartels. Since then, it has been my family’s mission to do everything in our power to prevent others from experiencing the same pain and loss.
The Mexican drug cartels…
