As a mom who sent her baby to day care at just 11 weeks old to return back to work, I put so much faith into the people running that operation. I hoped it would never come to it, but I essentially trusted that the staff would do whatever necessary to protect my kid and so many others. One Texas woman, sadly, had to make good on that silent commitment.
Just before 3 p.m., Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Police responded to a 911 call about shots fired at Neni’s Childcare #2 in Donna, Texas. They found both Nubia Bravo, 26, and her husband, Saul Esquivel, 41, dead just outside the day care, according to KRGV. Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra told the outlet he believes the couple had been separated over Esquivel having an affair. He also alleged that Bravo led him away from the five children present at the day care in a final brave act.
“Then we believe he laid down next to his wife and took his own life,” Guerra said, noting that this was a result of domestic violence.
According to Valley Central, Guerra reported that he saw her through the day care window and forced himself into the facility through that window.
“She got outside, and then he followed her, caught up to her and then shot her,” Guerra continued, per Valley Central. “No children were hurt, and we believe that they did not witness the shooting, but I’m sure that they heard all the gunshots.”
Women in the US are 11 times more likely to be killed with guns than women in other high-income countries, according to a study in the National Library of Medicine. The presence of a gun in domestic violence situations increases the risk of homicide for women by 500%, the study noted. That means that more than half of women killed by gun violence are killed by family members or intimate partners.
In 2023, the sheriff led an effort to raise awareness of services available to support those in domestic abuse situations by strengthening laws related to domestic violence and increased awareness in the community.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women’s shelter (domesticshelters.org).
