SAN ANTONIO – The family of Chrystal Garcia Espinosa held a plate sale Saturday to help with burial costs for the 29-year-old killed on June 16.
San Antonio police said Espinosa, 29, was stabbed to death by her boyfriend Charles Wayne Haltom in the couple’s MacArthur Townhomes apartment. Police said Haltom, 29, called 911 and told dispatchers he had killed her by stabbing her several times.
Police said two children were home at the time of the attack, but they were not injured.
Haltom has since been charged with murder but police said the charges could change to capital murder because Espinoza was pregnant.
"Nobody ever expects your child to be murdered like that,” Desiree Garcia Mata, Chrystal’s mom, said. “To die like that."
Espinosa was the mother of two boys. At the time of her death, she was six months pregnant with her first daughter. Espinosa's cousin, Pauline Vallejo, said the unborn baby's name was to have been Catalina.
"There's no words to explain. Not able to see the baby. That's what hurts the worst. Not being able to meet her," Vallejo said.
Vallejo said the slain woman's sons now face the adversity of dealing with their mother's death in addition to trying to adjust to life's normal challenges, such as starting a new school year next month.
She also said they are struggling to cope with the sudden loss.
"For a beautiful mother to lose her child and for the kids to lose their mother. I just can't comprehend why somebody would take somebody's life," Vallejo said.
Vallejo said every plate sold helps out the boys with things their mother used to buy, such as school supplies or even sneakers.
The family has an online web page set up, the Chrystal Espinosa Memorial Fund, to help gather donations.