SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio's West Side came together Saturday to stand against violent crimes like the one that police believe claimed the life of Natalie Chavez, 15, in December.
A rally was held Saturday morning to support Chavez's family and make a promise for a better future.
"We used to call rain 'liquid sunshine,'" a local pastor said to the rain-drenched crowd.
That's what the rally was all about: taking dark circumstances and finding the light in them.
"It's actually pretty comforting knowing there's so many people out here that actually care," said Leslie Beltran, Chavez's cousin and godsister.
Four months ago, Chavez's body was found under the Vera Cruz bridge in the heart of the neighborhood. The medical examiner said the cause of death was asphyxia, meaning she was likely strangled.
"Not only did we have to deal with Natalie's death, but we had to deal with people on social media being negative about it," Beltran said.
Seeing support from their community finally gave Chavez's family a sense of peace and hope for the future.
San Antonio Police Chief Anthony Trevino emphasized the importance of communication between citizens and police.
"Today is about taking back the West Side. We had a tragic event with Natalie Chavez, but the community is not taking it. I think this is a rally of support to pull the community together," Trevino said.
"It's just really comforting knowing that they do want justice for Natalie, and not just Natalie, but all the other girls whose lives have been taken too soon," Beltran said.
She is already seeing change in her neighborhood. Lights have been installed under the bridge, and picnic tables will be set up where the community can socialize. There is also a bigger effort to communicate with police.
"We feel safe knowing that they're trying to do something better so this won't happen again," Beltran said.