Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez

Mother Arrested In Murders Of 4 Children

Four Children Found Asphyxiated

ELKHART, Ind. (CBS) ―

Police have arrested an Indiana mother in connection with the deaths of her four children, ages 2 to 8.

The four children were found Tuesday night in their home by the father of the two youngest. The medical examiner said they were asphyxiated.

Rescue workers originally thought the children's mother, Angelica Alvarez, was also dead at the scene, but later discovered she had a faint pulse.

Alvarez was in critical condition yesterday at Elkhart General Hospital but a hospital spokeswoman said today she could not give out any information about her condition.

Police say Alvarez is still in the hospital but is in their custody. Police released no other details about the case.

The children were identified as 8-year-old Jennifer Lopez, 6-year-old Gonzalo Lopez, 4-year-old Daniel Valdez and 2-year-old Jessica Valdez.

Authorities say the children were found by Alvarez's husband, Fernando Valdez, who is the father of the two younger children. Valdez ran out into the street and yelled for someone to call police.

Police say they have been called to the family's residence before.

"Some of these histories show custody disputes between Angelica Alvarez, the adult female, and Gonzalo Lopez , the father of her two older children," said Steven Mock of the Elkhart Police Department.


See posts for dear brothers Daniel and Gonzalo, and dear sister Jessica.

Gonzalo Lopez

Gonzalo Lopez

Elkhart police arrest mother in children's murders

(November 2006 - WTHR)

Elkhart - Elkhart police have arrested a mother in connection with the deaths of her four young children. The children, ages 2 to 8, were found suffocated in their basement Tuesday.

Police say the children's mother, Angelica Alvarez, remained hospitalized Thursday, two days after she was found unconscious with the children in the basement of their home.

Police Captain Steven Mock didn't give any details on how investigators believe she killed the two girls and two boys. Autopsies determine they died of asphyxia.

Mock says the 27-year-old Alvarez was in custody at Elkhart General Hospital. He would not give details on her injuries, but says she is expected to survive.

Bill Wargo, chief investigator for the Elkhart County prosecutor's office, says a magistrate is expected to review the case on tomorrow to determine whether investigators had probable cause to keep Alvarez in custody.

He says the prosecutor's office would then have until Wednesday to decide on formal charges.

Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This story may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.


See posts for dear brother Daniel, and dear sisters Jennifer and Jessica.

Daniel Valdez

Daniel Valdaz

Mom Who Killed Her Four Children Ruled Incompetent to Stand Trial

Published May 17, 2007

In Goshen, Indiana on November 13, 2006, Angelica Alvarez was found at her house with a faint pulse next to the bodies of her four children. Alvarez's children, 8-year-old Jennifer Lopez, 6-year-old Gonzalo Lopez Jr., 4-year-old Daniel Valdez and 2-year-old Jessica Valdez, were all strangled to death in the basement of their Elkhart home.

Today, May 16,2007, as reported by the Associated Press, Elkhart Circuit Judge, Terry Shewmaker has ordered that Alvarez be committed to the Division of Mental Health to see that if in the near future that she could stand trial. Judge Shewmaker has asked that the determination be within three months. Alvarez cannot be tried until she is ruled competent.

Judge Shewmaker also went to say, that his decision was based on the three court-appointed psychiatrists as well as his own observations of Angelica Alvarez in the courtroom. Attorney for Angelica Alvarez, Juan Garcia Jr. stated to reporters that he had been pleased with the outcome of the ruling. He also went to say, ``I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought the judge could have gone either way,''. Alvarez went on and explained that the test for competency is whether a defendant can assist in his/her defense, and whether or not he/she understands the proceedings,as reported by the Associated Press.

During the court proceedings, one psychiatrist said that Angelica Alvarez could do both, one determined that she could do neither and the other said that she understood the proceedings and what was going on but she could not assist in her defense.

"She has no emotion one way or the other," said Martha Williams, who lives directly behind Alvarez's former home. "I think she must have had a history of being ill to do something like that." as reported by WSBT.


See posts for dear brother Gonzalo, and dear sisters Jennifer and Jessica.

Jessica Valdez

Jessica Valdez

Alvarez sentenced to life without parole

September 24, 2007

An Elkhart mom who pleaded guilty to killing her four children was sentenced to life in prison without parole Monday morning in Elkhart County Circuit Court.

Angelica Alvarez, 27, was charged with four counts of murder following the death of her four children — Jennifer Lopez, 8, Gonzalo Lopez, 6, Daniel Valdez, 4, and Jessica Valdez, 2 — who were found strangled inside their Elkhart home in November. As part of a plea agreement, she pleaded guilty to the charge on Sept. 4 of this year after being found competent to stand trial.

Prior to sentencing, defense attorney Juan Garcia told Circuit Court Judge Terry Shewmaker that Alvarez has expressed remorse for her actions. “In spite of what she did, I don’t want anyone in the public to think that she is a monster,” Garcia said.

Prior to the deaths of the children, Alvarez left a note explaining what she had done and why. According to the note, Alvarez expressed that her husband was in the process of leaving her and she did not feel that she was capable to taking care of the four children alone. Previous testimony had suggested that the children had been drugged before they were killed. Prosecuting Attorney Curtis T. Hill presented toxicology reports that showed that the children were not drugged. Hill argued that Alvarez was competent enough to know precisely what she was doing at the time of the murder, despite treatment at a state mental health hospital in Logansport. “There was a clear conscious at the time. She had a plan and systematically thought it through and executed it. That equals murder,” Hill said.

Garcia told the court that Alvarez has “severe mental health issues” and noted that those suffering from physical health issues are “treated until they get better.” “Mental health issues should be treated with the same severity as physical health issues,” Garcia said. After sentencing, Gonzalo Lopez, the father of the two eldest children, spoke to the court about how the events have impacted him. He said that despite the events, he hold no ill will toward Alvarez. “I have peace and tranquility and have forgiven her,” Lopez said through a translator.

Hill said that he would have preferred the death penalty for Alvarez, but opted against seeking it as punishment. “This didn’t have to happen, but locking her up for the rest of her life does,” Hill said. Alvarez stated through a translator that she has “sincerely repented and I accept my responsibility.” Alvarez will be incarcerated at the Indiana Department of Corrections.


See posts for dear brothers Daniel and Gonzalo, and dear sister Jennifer.

Doyle Nesbitt

South Bend man shot on Wednesday dies

October 30, 2006

ELKHART - South Bend man shot on Wednesday dies.  Doyle Nesbitt, the 24-year-old South Bend man shot in Elkhart on Wednesday night, died Saturday. A spokeswoman at Elkhart General Hospital confirmed Nesbitt's death Sunday afternoon. The Elkhart Police Department's Homicide Unit was called to an apartment in the 200 block of North Third Street in Elkhart at about 9 p.m. Wednesday. Kendra Ellis, 19, of South Bend, was arrested Thursday and was initially facing attempted murder charges.

UPDATE:

According to our reporting partners at The Truth, an Elkhart woman faces eight years behind bars after admitting she shot and killed her boyfriend. 22-year-old Kendra Ellis pleaded guilty Thursday to shooting Doyle Nesbitt to death.

According to our reporting partners at The Truth, an Elkhart woman faces eight years behind bars after admitting she shot and killed her boyfriend.  22-year-old Kendra Ellis pleaded guilty Thursday to shooting Doyle Nesbitt to death.  It happened back on October 25th at the couple's apartment on Third Street in Elkhart.
 
You may also remember Ellis was accidentally released from jail after her arrest for the shooting, but was quickly re-arrested.  Her sentencing is set for January 18th.

Kimberly Mankhwala

Spousal fight may be tied to attack, fire

Woman recovering from injuries; man dies from smoke inhalation.

August 19, 2006
By YONIKA WILLIS Tribune Staff Writer

ELKHART -- White towels stained crimson with blood were the only visible signs of what police say might have been a fatal domestic dispute Friday morning. The spot where the towels lay was where 36-year-old Kimberly Mankhwala ran to after having allegedly been stabbed 10 to 15 times by her husband inside their Centennial Drive home, police said.

About 7:20 a.m. Friday, a resident in the Country Acres subdivision alerted police to a stabbing and a possible house fire at 27401 Centennial Drive. Police arrived to find Kimberly Mankhwala lying on a neighbor's lawn and smoke coming from her nearby bi-level home. Firefighters quickly contained the small fire in the home.

Before Kimberly Mankhwala was taken to Elkhart General Hospital, police said, she told them her husband, 51-year-old Ephraim Mankhwala, was inside their home. When authorities did not receive any response from Ephraim Mankhwala by calling or using a public address system, emergency units entered shortly after 9 a.m. and found him dead in the lower-level living area, said Capt. Sean Holmes, commander of the Elkhart County Emergency Services Unit. Elkhart County Coroner John White said Mankhwala died of smoke inhalation. "He had a high carbon monoxide reading," White said. "He had no other injuries, just injuries from the fire." A 3-year-old child and a 15-year-old boy reportedly were inside the home at the time of the stabbing, according to WSBT-TV.

The 15-year-old was treated for minor stab wounds at Elkhart General, said Trevor Wendzonka, of the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department. Kimberly Mankhwala was out of surgery and in recovery at Elkhart General Hospital Friday afternoon, Wendzonka said.

News of Friday's events shocked residents of Country Acres subdivision, who recently implemented a neighborhood watch in an effort to decrease vandalism and thefts in the neighborhood. "I've lived here for 23 years," said neighbor Deb Longcor. "This is way unusual. ... This just goes to show that this stuff crosses all barriers." Longcor's daughter, Erin Longcor, said the neighborhood has "break-ins and kids that come through the neighborhood, but nothing to offset and scare anyone like this." Neighbors said the Mankhwala family had recently moved into the area and seemed friendly. "I'd passed by and they'd always speak," neighbor Paula Mason said. "They're always in the yard cleaning up or out playing with the kids."

The Mankhwala family was in the news in June when 26-year-old Curtis Love received a 58-year jail sentence for murdering Ephraim Mankhwala's son, Vusani "Cy" Mankhwala. A police officer found the body of 17-year-old Vusani on June 30, 2001, near Chase and Main streets, around the corner from the teen's then-Morton Avenue home. The teen was found with multiple stab wounds to his body. That case, which was closed for several years, was re-opened by police in 2005.

UPDATE:

Kimberly L. Mankhwala

Dec. 22, 1969 - Aug. 23, 2006

ELKHART — Kimberly L. (Sidwell) Mankhwala, 36, Elkhart, died unexpectedly Aug. 23, 2006, at Elkhart General Hospital.

She was born Dec. 22, 1969, in Anderson, and resided in Anderson until 1991. She resided in Elkhart for two years and in Goshen for 13 years. She had been an LPN for Americare Nursing Home for 2 1/2 years.

Survivors include her father, William Sidwell and mother, Linda (Bousman) Sidwell, both of Anderson; three children, Brittany A. and husband Robert Ressler of South Bend, and Kipsangi K. Mankhwala and John A. “Drew” Cole II, both of Elkhart; three stepchildren, LaToya Mankhwala of South Bend, and P.J. Mankhwala and Paso Mankhwala, both of Elkhart; a stepgranddaughter, Mimi Mwanza; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Rebecca Sidwell and Tari and Robert Murray, all of Indianapolis; two brothers, Samuel Sidwell of Anderson, and Stephen Sidwell of Elkhart; best friend, Adeeti Awori of Indianapolis; and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, John A. Cole; and second husband, Ephraim Mankhwala, on Aug. 18, 2006.

Services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Rozelle-Johnson Funeral Service with the Rev. Loyce Webb of Gospel Light Chapel officiating. Burial will be in Grovelawn Cemetery in Pendleton.

Visitation will be 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.  Memorial contributions may be given to the family for the care and education of her children.