BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — It’s been almost two weeks of hurt and disbelief for Ms. Ana Terriquez as she realizes this holiday season her youngest daughter Rejina will not be by her side.
“Only God knows how I am still standing,” said Terriquez.
24-year-old Rejina Terriquez died from a gunshot, inflicted by her husband Arsenio Rubio on Dec. 5 at her apartment in the 300 block of Hughes Lane.
That peaceful Sunday morning turned turbulent when the phone rang.
“We received news thru a neighbor who called us,” said Terriquez. “She said to hurry to Rejina’s house because her husband had put a bullet in her.”
The panicked mother rushed to her daughter’s apartment which was already surrounded by KCSO deputies and patrol cars.
“When I got to the house, I just wanted to know about my daughter,” said Terriquez.
Ana Terriquez holds a picture of a teenage Rejina Terriquez.
Deputies handed her Rejina and Arsenio’s 3-year-old daughter, Penelope.
Ana clung to her granddaughter and to hope that Rejina was still alive. Inside the home, a one-year marriage came to an end as Rejina passed and Arsenio took his life.
“Right now, the family, my husband, myself, my granddaughter, we are going thru some tough moments,” said Terriquez.
It gets even more difficult when Terriquez hears her granddaughter remember how she saw her mother bleeding to death in front of her.
“She would tell me: my mom had blood here,” said Terriquez as she signals to her torso and right temple. “She had blood there, later on, she even told a cousin that her mom was dead because her dad shot her.”
Rubio’s family has visited the grieving family and offered their condolences. A GoFundMe for Arsenio mentions he suffered from depression; we did reach out to his family for this story but did not hear back by news time.
“I have no idea how we are carrying this heavy terrible pain right now,” said Terriquez.
The family has started a GoFundMe to help with Rejina’s funeral expenses. Next week, 17 News will bring you the story of how the community is coming together to make the holidays brighter for 3-year-old Penelope.
