UVALDE, Texas \u2013 Family members of victims of the tragic 2022 Robb Elementary shooting have shared their feelings about the acquittal of an ex-Uvalde CISD officer on child endangerment charges.<\/p>\n
Adrian Gonzales, 52, was acquitted on 29 child endangerment charges<\/a> after a two-week trial in Corpus Christi.<\/p>\n Families of the victims issued statements or expressed their feelings on the verdict on social media. Here is what they said:<\/p>\n Monica Gallegos, mother of Annabell Rodriguez<\/p>\n Monica Gallegos\u2019 daughter, Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, was a fourth grader killed in the shooting. Gallegos issued a victim\u2019s statement addressed to Gonzales.<\/p>\n My name is Monica Gallegos; this is my first time talking about this. It\u2019s November 29, 2011, and my heart is full of joy as my twin girls entered the world. Annabell Guadalupe and Angeli Rodriguez.<\/p>\n Fast forward to May 24th, 2022, my daughter Annabell is in Robb Elementary room 111 and my Angeli is in room 112. Annabell is receiving awards for her achievements in 4th grade. Angeli did not attend school. She had a doctor\u2019s appointment.<\/p>\n That day my life changed forever. That day my daughter Annabell took her last breath. That day my daughter received her last earthly award. That day my other daughter, Angeli, lost half of herself. That day my oldest daughter Annastasha lost her younger sister. That day our lives changed forever.<\/p>\n That day my daughter was robbed of ever celebrating another birthday, playing with her sisters, taking selfies with me, graduating high school, living out her dream of becoming a veterinarian and taking trip to Sea World and the river-two of her favorite places.<\/p>\n Instead, we have endless health appointments, mental health issues and suffer daily with so much pain.<\/p>\n My daughter Angeli lives with survivors\u2019 guilt and has lost the desire to attend school. We live with the void in our hearts, an empty space in a bed and many memories on the walls. Angeli is ready to give up on life.<\/p>\n That day YOU could have saved 19 children including my cousin Jackie Cazares and their two teachers.<\/p>\n That day YOU could have saved my daughter.<\/p>\n So, for the rest of your life, I want you to remember her name, Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez.<\/p>\n Monica GallegosVeronica Mata, mother of Tess Mata<\/p>\n Veronica Mata, the mother of Tess Mata, shared her feelings on the ruling on social media.<\/p>\n She said, \u201cOur court system was supposed to protect innocent children. Instead, it protected those who failed them.\u201d<\/p>\n Family of Jackie Cazares<\/p>\n Members of shooting victim Jackie Cazares\u2019 family were present for the trial\u2019s verdict.<\/p>\n Javier Cazares, Jackie\u2019s father, had been closely following the trial in Corpus Christi. \u201cIt\u2019s been an emotional rollercoaster since Day 1,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m pissed, but again, we had to prepare for the worst. I mean, we had a little hope that it was enough,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Cazares said he will be present for former Uvalde CISD Police Chief Peter Arredondo\u2019s child endangerment trial but worries that the same outcome will occur.<\/p>\n Jesse Rizo, Jackie\u2019s uncle, also expressed his disappointment outside the Nueces County Courthouse.<\/p>\n \u201cThe message is clear: If you\u2019re an officer, you don\u2019t have to do anything,\u201d Rizo said. \u201cYou stand back and wait for the Army, for the Marines, everybody to show up. No one takes accountability.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFaith is fractured, but you never lose faith,\u201d Rizo said. \u201cYou don\u2019t lose faith because these children that are no longer with us \u2014 that are at the cemetery \u2014 they can\u2019t speak for themselves. We speak for them. We fight till the end. As hard as it is, you know, they deserve. The teachers \u2014 Irma (Garcia), Eva (Mireles) \u2014 they had nothing on them except for valor, except for courage. And they fought till the end. They pushed back hard. They gave their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n Members of Jackie\u2019s family also shared a statement directed at Gonzales on social media that said, in part, \u201cI have sympathy for the weight you must carry, but my sympathy does not change the truth. You failed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou and your fellow officers must live with what happened, but you must understand that your pain will never compare to what Jackie endured while waiting to be saved.\u201d<\/p>\n Alfred Garza, father of Amerie Jo Garza<\/p>\n Alfred Garza, the father of Amerie Jo Garza, posted a video on social media where he directed his comments toward public response of the outcome.<\/p>\n He said seeing people celebrating the verdict felt like a \u201cslap in the face.\u201d<\/p>\n He said he felt disappointed in Uvalde and the comments made by community members. \u201cI guess you\u2019ll never understand until you go through it. And I hope you never have to. I hope you never understand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n