Desiree Fuentes. My mom. My only remaining connection to Maternal love was brutally murdered and taken from my family and I on Saturday, April 4th, 2026. My mom was the sweetest social butterfly you would ever meet. Everywhere we went, someone knew her and ambushed her with excitement. Growing up my mother struggled with addiction and my little sister and I would bounce from program to program always in support. My mom had a tragic childhood facing abuse of all kinds and severe neglect. I never blamed her for inner battles. Last month my great grandma passed away who happened to raise my mom, my sister, and I. Our worlds came caving in but this became a turning point for my mom. My mom and I had a long conversation about needing each other and how we were going to get her help so we could finally be family. My mom and I set a date for her to come over and dye eggs with my sister and I. The day came and we texted back and forth sending Gifs and hearts and pure excitement for what our future held. I dreamed of this day.. My mom never showed. The next day Easter came and went. My sister and I were disappointed and couldn’t get a hold of her. The next day I received tragic news. My mother has been shot and killed, her body found tossed in a ditch somewhere in Lake County. I immediately dropped to my knees in horror. Not my mom. Please God please not my mom. Why would anybody do this.. We had so many plans together. This was supposed to be our new beginning and now my sister and I are left with what could have been. A relationship we forever yearned for ripped out of our hands and all I can look back on are text messages expressing excitement for what was supposed to come. I will never understand what could have possibly justified a murder on a 4’10, 90 pound woman. My mom had no enemies. My mom was loved by everyone because even while fighting her own battles she showed up as much as she could ready to fight everyone else's. My mom was no monster. My mom was born into a cruel world where all she wanted was to be loved. We were getting there. I swear we were. Now my sister, the family and I are left with nothing but memories. I am the eldest daughter, the caretaker, and the remaining mother for my sister pleading for help. I don’t have many resources or connections. I don’t have emergency money lying around for her unexpected funeral. I work as hard as I can to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. I beg of you, if you could donate whatever spare change you might have to help it would help greatly. This money would go towards her homicide incident expenses along with me being able to cover a few days off of work to go travel back and forth to my Mother’s hearings and trails in Lake County. I want to ensure these people never get to hurt anyone ever again. I want them to hear my sister and I plead in court to never let these people see the light of day. I want them to see the family that they took her from. ANYTHING at ALL helps. I just want to give my mom justice and a beautiful exit to her life as she did not deserve anything that happened to her in this lifetime. My mom was the light that could light up a pitch black dark room. My mom’s laughter was the most contagious thing in this world and I pray I can forever remember the life that I could hear in it as it echoed through rooms. I will never forget all the teasing she got for her big beautiful ears that I am blessed to have inherited. Thank you for these ears mom, I will love them forever because they look just like yours. I will forever feel beautiful because I look just like you. I'm sorry to ramble. I just beg of you please donate if you can. Please from two grieving daughters and what’s left of a small family.

Heavy Hearted, 

Destiny Fuentes