(DailyChive.com) – A California family is in mourning after the tragic death of 17-year-old Angelina Camillia Gonzales, a high school cheerleader whose life was cut short just days before Christmas. Authorities allege her ex-boyfriend, 18-year-old Daniel Rodriguez, is responsible for the crime.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that Rodriguez has been arrested on suspicion of murder with a special allegation of using a knife. His bail is set at over $2 million. Gonzales’ family claims he picked her up from a cheerleading banquet on the night of December 20 and brought her to his house.
Later that evening, around 10 p.m., Azusa police officers responded to a call and found Gonzales with stab wounds. She was rushed to the hospital but tragically succumbed to her injuries.
Her stepfather, Robert Caraballo, said he tracked her phone to Rodriguez’s home. When he arrived, the area was already a crime scene. “I ran up to the officers and told them, ‘My daughter’s in there. I’m looking for her,’” he told KABC. The officers then asked him to wait as the investigation unfolded.
Caraballo shared that he had warned Angelina several times to stay away from Rodriguez, though he acknowledged her kindness. “She had a really big heart and always tried to see the good in him,” he said.
Gonzales was just weeks away from turning 18 on January 7 and had her whole life ahead of her, her family said. Her mother, Letica Carabello, expressed her heartbreak on a GoFundMe page set up to help cover funeral expenses. “She had a heart of gold,” Carabello wrote. “She was my perfect, gorgeous angel baby. Our family is devastated.” The GoFundMe has since drawn significant support from people moved by the family’s loss.
Police are still investigating the circumstances and possible motive behind the crime. Rodriguez is described as an acquaintance of Gonzales, but officials have not confirmed further details about their relationship.
Rodriguez is set to be arraigned on Tuesday. Authorities urge anyone with information about the case to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau. The case has raised concerns about intimate partner violence among teens and the warning signs often overlooked.
This devastating loss has left a community grieving during what should have been a joyful holiday season.
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