AKRON, Ohio — An Akron mother is recovering in the hospital and is lucky to be alive. Akron Police said her ex-boyfriend, and child’s father, shot her multiple times and kidnapped their son, triggering an amber alert.
But her sisters said it could’ve been prevented.
Elsie Rivera Ortiz’s sisters said she is a dedicated mother, a loving sister and a fighter.
“She loves her kid, that’s her life. She would do anything for him. She’s a wonderful mother,” said her sister Jenitza Rivera. “She brings joy to everybody.”
Her sisters Genesis and Jenitza Rivera said Elsie, 24, left her son’s father Jose Castro a few months ago. They said she lived in fear of him.
But in June, Genesis notified Akron Police that Castro was harassing Elsie. In a police report obtained by News 5, Castro allegedly came to Genesis’ house, where Elsie was staying, shooting a gun.
“He wanted to talk to her. I told him that she didn’t want to take to him so he got upset,” she said. “We found out a couple of weeks later that one of the bullets bounced from the ground and hit our garage.”
Castro was indicted on several charges but posted bond and was released. Her sisters said Castro continued to come around, though.
“Just this Saturday, on Saturday morning there was another incident where he grabbed her by her hair and dragged her all over the floor,” said Genesis.
Akron Police said that incident was a verbal argument and did not result in a domestic violence charge. Genesis said Monday morning, hours before the shooting, Elsie tried to get a protective order. She said it was the second time her sister tried to get an order of protection.
“She went to the court and they told her the same thing, that the police report said that he had scratches all over him so they didn’t know who was the aggressor,” she said.
A spokesperson for Akron Police said that they weren’t aware she tried to get a protective order but that they’ll look into verifying the information.
“Just thinking that it could be prevented is what breaks my heart,” said Jenitza.
Monday evening, their worst fear became their reality. Jenitza said Elsie was supposed to drop her 4-year-old son off at her house before she went to work, but she never dropped him off.
“I said I think he did something to her,” she recalls.
Around 6:45 p.m. on Monday, Akron Police responded to shots fired call in the 1100 block of Tulip Street.
When police arrived, they found Elsie with multiple gunshot wounds.
Witnesses told police that Castro took the woman's child and fled the scene in a vehicle. Police issued an Amber Alert for the child.
“He shot her 11 times,” said Genesis.
Hours later, the child was returned to Akron Police unharmed and is in Jenitza’s care. Police say Castro dropped the child off to a family friend and that person brought the boy to a detective.
“He saw everything. He saw his mom laying on the ground and his dad shooting at her” said Jenitza.
Castro was apprehended in Cleveland by Cleveland Police and is currently in the Summit County Jail charged with felonious assault and kidnapping.
Genesis and Jenitza said their sister is stable and conscious but has a long road of recovery ahead of her.
“She was shot on her pelvis, so it went through her hip and came out the other end. She had a broken pelvis and it hit her colon so they had to reconstruct everything,” said Jenitza.
Elsie’s sisters know it’s a miracle that she is alive and are hopeful that she will be able to put the past behind her.
“I don’t want him out. I don’t want to see my sister live in fear again. I want her to be in peace with her son and happy because she deserves it.”
