Mother whose 3 daughters killed by father in Sacramento County speaks publicly for the first time, advocates for domestic violence bill

THIS IS KCRA 3 NEWS AT 6:00 P.M. >> FOR JUST ONE MOMENT, IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO NEVER HUG OR KISS YOUR CHILD EVER AGAIN. TO NEVER ACCOMPANY YOUR SON OUR YOUR DAUGHTER ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN. TO NEVER HEAR THE WORDS, I LOVE YOU MAMA. TY: SEVERAL MOTHERS WHOSE CHILDREN DIED AT THE HANDS OF IT THEIR FATHERS CAME TOGETHER TODAY AT THE STATE CAPITOL. THOSE MOTHERS SHARED THEIR GRIEF AND ALSO DEMANDED A CHANGE TO THE LEGAL SYSTEM. THEY SAY IT NAILED TO PROTECT THEIR KIDS. ANDREA: KCRA 3'S BRITTANY JOHNSON WAS AT TODAY'S NEWS CONFERENCE. SHE HAS MORE ON A BILL THESE MOTHERS WANT SIGNED INTO LAW. >> The Reporter: BEHIND ME HERE, HUNDREDS OF SILHOUETTES, SYMBOLIZING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN MURDERED IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 2008, BY A DIVORCED OR SEPARATED PARENT. TODAY, SOME OF THE MOTHERS OF THESE CHILDREN ALONG WITH LAWMAKERS CALLING FOR MORE PROTECTION. >> AN ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN WHO SUFFER AT THE HANDS OF AN ABUSIVE PARENT, AND CHILDREN WHO OFTEN FALL VICTIM TO OUR FAMILY COURT SYSTEM. >> The Reporter: THE WOMAN YOU SEE HERE HOLDING UP PHOTOS AND WEAR T-SHIRTS WITH THE FACES OF THEIR CHILDREN, ALL OF THEM HAVE A DIFFERENT STORY, BUT WHAT BRINGS THEM TOGETHER, THEIR CHILDREN, MURDERED BY THEIR FATHERS. SURROUNDED WITH SUPPORT FROM FAMILY MEMBERS AND LAWMAKERS. EACH OF THEM SHARED THEIR STORY, INCLUDING ELAINA GUTIERREZ. GUTIERREZ SPOKE PUBLICLY FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME SINCE POLICE SAY THEY ARE THREE GIRLS WERE KILLED BY THEIR FATHER AT A SACRAMENTO AREA CHURCH IN FEBRUARY DURING A SUPERVISED COURT-ORDERED VISITATION. >> [SPEAKING IN SPANISH] >> The Reporter: GUTIERREZ SAYS THE DEATH OF HER THREE CHILDREN COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. SHE, ALONGSIDE OTHER MOTHERS YOU SEE HERE AND LAWMAKERS WANT SENATE BILL 616 SIGNED INTO LAW, PINKY'S LAW, KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE FROM FAMILY VIOLENCE, WOULD ENSURE JUDGES RECEIVE COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND WOULD PUT IN PLACE UNIFICATION PROGRAMS WHICH WOULD PUT A STOP TO THE HORRIFIC HOMICIDES. THE BILL WAS NAMED AFTER A WOMAN WHOSE SON WAS KILLED BY HER FATHER. SHE FOUGHT HARD IN COURT TO PROTECT HER CHILD FROM HER ABUSIVE EX-HUPS. DESPITE THE EFFORTS, THE COURT REFUSED TO STOP VISITATION BETWEEN PINKY AND HIS FATHER. >> HIS FIRST ASETTLEMENT AT SUFFOCATION FAILED, AS -- ATTEMPT AT SUFFOCATION FAILED. AS MY SON SAT IN HIS BABY SEAT, HIS BODY TWITCHING, MY SON PROCEEDED TO SUFFOCATE HIM A SECOND TIME. THEN PROCEEDED TO DRIVE TWO HOURS WITH MY SON'S LIFELESS BODY IN THE BACK SEAT OF HIS VEHICLE. HE ABANDONED MY SON'S BODY IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA ON SOME RANDOM HILLSIDE IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY. THE REPORTER: 5-YEAR-OLD PINKY, ONE OF 848 CHILDREN MURDERED IN THE U.S. BY A SEPARATING OR DIVORCING PARENT SINCE 2008, INCLUDING 82 IN CALIFORNIA ALONG. WITH -- ALONE, WITH NEARLY HALF OF THE TOTAL KILLED BY AN ABUSER WHO USED A GUN. THAT'S ACCORDING FOR THE CENTER FOR JUDICIAL EXCELLENCE, WHICH SAYS THAT NUMBER, 848, IS ALREADY OUTDATED, AS THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN MURDERED CONTINUES TO RISE. IN SACRAMENTO, BRITTANY JOHNSON, KCRA 3 NEWS. ANDREA: SENATE BILL 616 INTRODUCED BY SENATOR SUSAN RUBIO IS SCHEDULED TO B

The mother of three girls who were murdered by their father outside of a church in Sacramento in February spoke publically for the first time on Monday since the death of her children.Standing alongside loved ones and lawmakers, while speaking in Spanish, Ileana Gutiérrez expressed grief for her three daughters, Samantha Gutiérrez, 13; Samia Gutiérrez, 10; and Samarah Gutiérrez, 9, while at the same time stating that California's legal system isn't doing enough to protect victims and children."Because of a system that does not do its job, because of a judge that doesn't take seriously that someone has a mental illness, this is something that nobody should go through. It's something really horrifying to go through," Gutiérrez said while using a tissue to wipe away the tears running down her face. Gutiérrez's three girls were killed by their father during a supervised, court-ordered visitation, according to investigators.KCRA 3 Investigates obtained court documents that outlined a domestic violence restraining order filed by Gutiérrez to protect both her and her children. A judge granted the restraining order but also allowed the father to see his children during supervised visitation.According to police, the father shot and killed the three girls, and the chaperone, during a supervised a visit between them, before turning the gun on himself.During a press conference outside of the state Capitol building Monday, Gutiérrez said her children's deaths could have been prevented. She, alongside other mothers whose children were also murdered by their fathers, advocated in support of SB 616 and called on lawmakers to support the legislation so it can be signed into law.Senate Bill 616, (Rubio) Piqui's Law: Keeping Children Safe From Family Violence, was introduced by Sen. Susan Rubio, D-Baldwin Park. SB 616 mandates that judges receive domestic violence and child abuse training. Currently, there are no specific mandates.Senator Rubio said the bill was named after her friend's 5-year-old son Piqui, who was killed by his father.Pushing through the tears, Piqui's mother Ana Estevez, shared how her son lost his life at the hands of his father. "His first attempt at suffocating my son failed," she said. "And as my son sat helplessly in his car seat, his body twitching, my ex-husband proceeded to suffocate him a second time. Then he proceeded to drive two hours with my son's lifeless body in the back seat of his vehicle. He abandoned my son's body in a heavily wooded area on some random hillside in Santa Barbara County."Estevez said she tried extensively to stop visitation between her son and her ex-husband because of the danger she said he presented to Piqui. Estevez said her pleas were ignored by family courts."Today, I ask every legislator to put themselves in my shoes or the shoes of these surviving parents here. For just one moment, imagine what it would be like to never hug or kiss your child ever again. To never accompany your son or your daughter on the first day of kindergarten. To never hear the words, 'I love you, mama'. To never see your child graduate from high school or college, or never see your child marry, or know what it is like to be a grandparent, or to live a lifetime with a broken heart that will never, ever mend. So tomorrow, Piqui's law will be heard in the Assembly Judiciary. The fate of the bill lies in the hands of 11 committee members. Now it's time for meaningful reform and accountability."Piqui's law is scheduled to be heard Tuesday at 8 a.m. in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

The mother of three girls who were murdered by their father outside of a church in Sacramento in February spoke publically for the first time on Monday since the death of her children.

Standing alongside loved ones and lawmakers, while speaking in Spanish, Ileana Gutiérrez expressed grief for her three daughters, Samantha Gutiérrez, 13; Samia Gutiérrez, 10; and Samarah Gutiérrez, 9, while at the same time stating that California's legal system isn't doing enough to protect victims and children.

"Because of a system that does not do its job, because of a judge that doesn't take seriously that someone has a mental illness, this is something that nobody should go through. It's something really horrifying to go through," Gutiérrez said while using a tissue to wipe away the tears running down her face.

Gutiérrez's three girls were killed by their father during a supervised, court-ordered visitation, according to investigators.

KCRA 3 Investigates obtained court documents that outlined a domestic violence restraining order filed by Gutiérrez to protect both her and her children. A judge granted the restraining order but also allowed the father to see his children during supervised visitation.

According to police, the father shot and killed the three girls, and the chaperone, during a supervised a visit between them, before turning the gun on himself.

During a press conference outside of the state Capitol building Monday, Gutiérrez said her children's deaths could have been prevented. She, alongside other mothers whose children were also murdered by their fathers, advocated in support of SB 616 and called on lawmakers to support the legislation so it can be signed into law.

Senate Bill 616, (Rubio) Piqui's Law: Keeping Children Safe From Family Violence, was introduced by Sen. Susan Rubio, D-Baldwin Park.

SB 616 mandates that judges receive domestic violence and child abuse training. Currently, there are no specific mandates.

Senator Rubio said the bill was named after her friend's 5-year-old son Piqui, who was killed by his father.

Pushing through the tears, Piqui's mother Ana Estevez, shared how her son lost his life at the hands of his father.

"His first attempt at suffocating my son failed," she said. "And as my son sat helplessly in his car seat, his body twitching, my ex-husband proceeded to suffocate him a second time. Then he proceeded to drive two hours with my son's lifeless body in the back seat of his vehicle. He abandoned my son's body in a heavily wooded area on some random hillside in Santa Barbara County."

Estevez said she tried extensively to stop visitation between her son and her ex-husband because of the danger she said he presented to Piqui. Estevez said her pleas were ignored by family courts.

"Today, I ask every legislator to put themselves in my shoes or the shoes of these surviving parents here. For just one moment, imagine what it would be like to never hug or kiss your child ever again. To never accompany your son or your daughter on the first day of kindergarten. To never hear the words, 'I love you, mama'. To never see your child graduate from high school or college, or never see your child marry, or know what it is like to be a grandparent, or to live a lifetime with a broken heart that will never, ever mend. So tomorrow, Piqui's law will be heard in the Assembly Judiciary. The fate of the bill lies in the hands of 11 committee members. Now it's time for meaningful reform and accountability."

Piqui's law is scheduled to be heard Tuesday at 8 a.m. in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Mother whose 3 daughters killed by father in Sacramento County speaks publicly for the first time, advocates for domestic violence bill

GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

Top Picks