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Mom, 19, grieves for infant son, sweetheart
A piece of her heart died, she says, with pair slain in home-invasion robbery.
Last Updated 2:19 pm PDT Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Monique Dela Cruz, 19, hugs her 8-month-old son Sean Paul Aquitania Jr., who was shot to death Friday along with his father.
Family photo
A mother spoke Monday of her heartbreaking loss -- her baby who was just learning to stand on his own and her sweetheart who was stepping into his role as a father.
Both of them were gunned down Friday in a monstrous crime.
"It's a pain you can't even describe," said Monique Dela Cruz, 19. "I hope no one in the world has to feel this. Anyone who has a baby, they understand. It's like my heart -- there's a piece that's gone."
The father and child, Sean Paul Aquitania Sr. and Jr., were killed during an attempted home-invasion robbery in southeast Sacramento. Detectives believe the 21-year-old father was killed inside during the robbery, while the 7-month-old baby was shot in the head as he sat strapped in his car seat in his father's Chevrolet Impala.
Dela Cruz said she was trying her best to cope with her pain. In an interview, she recalled happy memories of her son and his loving father, who were inseparable.
"He was like this superhero dad," she said. "He just wanted to do everything for the baby." Including changing the very first diaper.
She said Sean Sr. woke up at 3 a.m. each day to go to work, then picked up baby Sean at the baby-sitter. He told her with pride of the baby's delight at seeing his dad.
"They spent the day together, napping together, playing together, and having dinner ready when I got home from work," recalled Dela Cruz.
The night before they died, Dela Cruz helped Sean Sr. study for a GED exam. He hoped to become a correctional officer, she said. He wanted to buy a house for his new family, and even get a miniature Hummer for his son to drive.
The last morning, as he left for work, he kissed Dela Cruz and told her he loved her. She rolled over and went back to sleep.
"If I could have one wish, it would be to see them both -- I want to hug them, touch them, hear their voices," she said. "If I could have one second with them, I would give up anything."
As the young mother mourned, homicide investigators pressed on in their pursuit of the assailants who robbed her of her family.
Sacramento Sheriff John McGinness called the intentional murder of the baby shocking and unprecedented.
"This case is unique," McGinness said. "Unfortunately, it's not entirely rare to have a child killed in the course of a crime. What makes this unique is that it's an unwarranted execution of a child after the crime has been committed. Obviously, we're working it hard."
The sheriff implored people who may know something to come forward, saying their own safety may well be at stake.
"The cold, callous nature of this homicide is such that people who have any information at all need to cooperate with us -- or risk having other crimes of this magnitude," McGinness said. "Who is it that would not find himself in harm's way with this sort of killer?"
Such chilling cruelty exacts a heavy toll even on veteran officers, said the sheriff, who is monitoring the manhunt from Quantico, Va., where he is attending a weeklong executive training course at the FBI Academy.
"The personal toll is extraordinary for everyone working the case -- the emergency medical technicians, the deputies who first responded, the homicide detectives, just everyone involved," McGinness said. "I'd like to put those EMTS and the responding officers on the jury when this killer is brought to justice."
As the manhunt progressed, the Aquitania family was planning a double funeral. Still, they found time to thank the Sacramento community for its outpouring of sympathy and concern.
Aimee Aquitania, a cousin speaking for the victims' family, said they were devastated by the murders but moved by the warm response.
"We are very touched and grateful," she said. "And I have to commend the sheriff's officers and the detectives for their work. We are very certain we'll get to the bottom of this."
She said a memorial rosary for the father and son will be said at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Andrews and Greilich Chapel, 3939 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento. Burial services will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at Sacramento's St. Rose Catholic Church, 5905 Franklin Blvd.
The incident Friday started shortly before 2 p.m., when the Aquitanias arrived at the dusty blue house on the 8400 block of Country Greens Court to pay a visit. It was just a social call, according to police.
Aquitania apparently left the baby in the car as he went to the front door. When someone inside opened the door, two armed men suddenly materialized and forced Aquitania inside, detectives said.
Investigators believe a fight broke out when Aquitania, an amateur boxer, tried to protect his son. He was shot twice in the upper body. Then, as the assailants fled, one of them stopped at Aquitania's Chevrolet Impala and shot his son once in the head.
On Monday, at the scene of the tragedy, a homicide detective scoured the four-bedroom house for clues while two deputies stood guard outside.
The rented tract home, with a stone facade and struggling rose bushes, stands on a quiet cul-de-sac. A makeshift memorial said "R.I.P. -- We (love) U both," with the photo of Aquitania father and son that appeared in Sunday's newspaper. Candles burned on the doorstep.
This is just sad. What the **** is wrong with this world
A piece of her heart died, she says, with pair slain in home-invasion robbery.
Last Updated 2:19 pm PDT Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Monique Dela Cruz, 19, hugs her 8-month-old son Sean Paul Aquitania Jr., who was shot to death Friday along with his father.
Family photo
A mother spoke Monday of her heartbreaking loss -- her baby who was just learning to stand on his own and her sweetheart who was stepping into his role as a father.
Both of them were gunned down Friday in a monstrous crime.
"It's a pain you can't even describe," said Monique Dela Cruz, 19. "I hope no one in the world has to feel this. Anyone who has a baby, they understand. It's like my heart -- there's a piece that's gone."
The father and child, Sean Paul Aquitania Sr. and Jr., were killed during an attempted home-invasion robbery in southeast Sacramento. Detectives believe the 21-year-old father was killed inside during the robbery, while the 7-month-old baby was shot in the head as he sat strapped in his car seat in his father's Chevrolet Impala.
Dela Cruz said she was trying her best to cope with her pain. In an interview, she recalled happy memories of her son and his loving father, who were inseparable.
"He was like this superhero dad," she said. "He just wanted to do everything for the baby." Including changing the very first diaper.
She said Sean Sr. woke up at 3 a.m. each day to go to work, then picked up baby Sean at the baby-sitter. He told her with pride of the baby's delight at seeing his dad.
"They spent the day together, napping together, playing together, and having dinner ready when I got home from work," recalled Dela Cruz.
The night before they died, Dela Cruz helped Sean Sr. study for a GED exam. He hoped to become a correctional officer, she said. He wanted to buy a house for his new family, and even get a miniature Hummer for his son to drive.
The last morning, as he left for work, he kissed Dela Cruz and told her he loved her. She rolled over and went back to sleep.
"If I could have one wish, it would be to see them both -- I want to hug them, touch them, hear their voices," she said. "If I could have one second with them, I would give up anything."
As the young mother mourned, homicide investigators pressed on in their pursuit of the assailants who robbed her of her family.
Sacramento Sheriff John McGinness called the intentional murder of the baby shocking and unprecedented.
"This case is unique," McGinness said. "Unfortunately, it's not entirely rare to have a child killed in the course of a crime. What makes this unique is that it's an unwarranted execution of a child after the crime has been committed. Obviously, we're working it hard."
The sheriff implored people who may know something to come forward, saying their own safety may well be at stake.
"The cold, callous nature of this homicide is such that people who have any information at all need to cooperate with us -- or risk having other crimes of this magnitude," McGinness said. "Who is it that would not find himself in harm's way with this sort of killer?"
Such chilling cruelty exacts a heavy toll even on veteran officers, said the sheriff, who is monitoring the manhunt from Quantico, Va., where he is attending a weeklong executive training course at the FBI Academy.
"The personal toll is extraordinary for everyone working the case -- the emergency medical technicians, the deputies who first responded, the homicide detectives, just everyone involved," McGinness said. "I'd like to put those EMTS and the responding officers on the jury when this killer is brought to justice."
As the manhunt progressed, the Aquitania family was planning a double funeral. Still, they found time to thank the Sacramento community for its outpouring of sympathy and concern.
Aimee Aquitania, a cousin speaking for the victims' family, said they were devastated by the murders but moved by the warm response.
"We are very touched and grateful," she said. "And I have to commend the sheriff's officers and the detectives for their work. We are very certain we'll get to the bottom of this."
She said a memorial rosary for the father and son will be said at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Andrews and Greilich Chapel, 3939 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento. Burial services will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at Sacramento's St. Rose Catholic Church, 5905 Franklin Blvd.
The incident Friday started shortly before 2 p.m., when the Aquitanias arrived at the dusty blue house on the 8400 block of Country Greens Court to pay a visit. It was just a social call, according to police.
Aquitania apparently left the baby in the car as he went to the front door. When someone inside opened the door, two armed men suddenly materialized and forced Aquitania inside, detectives said.
Investigators believe a fight broke out when Aquitania, an amateur boxer, tried to protect his son. He was shot twice in the upper body. Then, as the assailants fled, one of them stopped at Aquitania's Chevrolet Impala and shot his son once in the head.
On Monday, at the scene of the tragedy, a homicide detective scoured the four-bedroom house for clues while two deputies stood guard outside.
The rented tract home, with a stone facade and struggling rose bushes, stands on a quiet cul-de-sac. A makeshift memorial said "R.I.P. -- We (love) U both," with the photo of Aquitania father and son that appeared in Sunday's newspaper. Candles burned on the doorstep.
This is just sad. What the **** is wrong with this world
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