Funeral services are set for two young children killed by their mother in a murder-suicide.
Police say last Sunday, January 15th, 23-year-old Aide Mendez shot and killed her three-year-old son, Isaiah, her 17-month-old daughter, Aliyah, and her cousin, Paul Medina, before turning the gun on herself. She also shot and stabbed her common-law husband but he survived.
33-year-old Eduardo Lopez is out of intensive care and in a regular hospital room.
His family says the outpouring of support and prayers from the community have helped during this difficult time. It’s been appreciated by Lopez and his nieces who have been planning the children’s funeral.
“Right away they heard the story on the news and offered to help. We're very grateful for the community,” said Esmeralda Lopez, Eduardo’s niece.
She has been at Community Regional Medical Center repeatedly to visit her uncle. He was shot in the neck and stabbed multiple times by Mendez.
“He's still unable to talk due to his gunshot injury, just because his throat is very swollen,” Esmeralda said.
But he’s able to communicate with his hands and gestures and gave the family some direction on his children’s funeral.
“He's the one who specified Parlier. We asked him Sanger and he shook his head ‘no.’ We asked him Parlier and he nodded ‘yes’ that's where he wants his children buried,” Esmeralda said. Most of his family is in Parlier.
The family still doesn’t have any answers as to why Aide Mendez went on the deadly rampage.
A video found at the couple’s apartment showed her smoking methamphetamine just hours before the killings.
The family says a letter was found in the apartment written by Mendez. It did not shed any light on the murder-suicide. The letter was written to Mendez’ oldest daughter, who died three years ago from a medical condition. It’s not known when it was written.
The funeral for Isaiah and Aliyah will be held this Wednesday, January 25th, at Wallins Funeral Home in Parlier, on Mendocino near South Avenue. The viewing will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the funeral service at 10 a.m.
Anyone who would like to donate to the funeral can make a contribution to the Isaiah and Aliyah funeral fund at any branch of Bank of America.
