It’s only been a couple of weeks but what the young woman saw remains tattooed on her mind. The death of her mother in an apparent murder-suicide case that occurred in Orlando has scarred the young woman who now lives in South Florida.
Orange County agents say that everything happened in Thomas Jefferson, on July 30.
Investigators say that Leinys González, 37, was shot dead by her partner Yeans Cárdenas, 34, who ended up taking his own life with a weapon.
The woman’s daughter, 15-year-old Orainis Rangel, was the sole survivor of the tragic incident. The young woman who moved to the United States from Venezuela just a year ago now lives with her paternal grandmother in Miami.
Xiomara Erigoyen, the teenager’s grandmother, says that after learning what happened “I couldn’t believe it. You never imagine that something like this could happen to a loved one.”
Her granddaughter now requires support to overcome this trauma. “Sometimes I feel like he’s lost in reality and thinks his mom is alive. And then he realizes his mom is dead, and he’s like, ‘Grandma, is that a lie? Is it my fault? Maybe I should have worn in front so maybe he wouldn’t have shot it.’”
The lasting impacts of trauma cannot be underestimated, says Paul Schwienler, a psychologist specializing in traumatic stress, who acknowledges that “the horror is the biggest thing during that time … and again you can remember everything shuts down and hides.”
The expert points out that love and support are crucial for those who experience trauma. “Don’t be afraid to approach people, especially the ones you know.”
