It's been almost 12 years since we lost Carlitos, I wouldn't say that our hearts have healed, they probably never will. The pain of the wonders and the "what-ifs", all the joys of life we were expecting to share.

Now we only have to celebrate is 2 dates each year.... The day we received Carlitos, and the day we sadly said good-bye.

There was no first day of school for him, there will never be a first date, no graduation, no hopes for college, or a first job, first car, no growing up and starting a family for Carlitos. All the joys of life were stolen from him that day, by his own uncle!

It's been 12 long years, he has another little brother now, he never got to meet. Earlier this year he became an uncle, more joys of life that were taken from him.

November 15th, 2023, Mark Paniagua, his uncle, will be officially a free man, if not sooner. He'll have a parole review in April 2022, but either way his official out day is only 2 years away.

While we'll be mourning the 13 year anniversary of our loss, to the day, Mark will be welcoming himself back into society, a free man. He'll be able to get back to the everyday life with his family, he'll be able to get back to his own kids and watching them grow and experience all the wonderful things of life, as any parent does. He'll be able to enjoy all the things that he took from us, from Carlitos.

He robbed a poor innocent 2 year old little boy from life, something that we'll never get back, and all because he just wanted to go outside an play with his siblings.

Carlitos did no wrong, yet he has to pay the ultimate price.
Mark is a monster, a baby killer, whos to say he won't do it again to another innocent young life.???

13 years... and that's Justice??
This is not just the City of Austin, this is the State of Texas.
There are women that are beaten so bad to where they fear for their life's and even their children's lives, so they finally stand up to protect them self against their abuser, and they end up in prison with 50+ sometimes life sentences. Why, because they took a life in SELF DEFENSE. Their considered monsters, and a threat to all society.
but that's Justice...

Drug dealers, sell drugs to people WHO CHOOSE TO DO THE DRUGS, they WANT the drugs, and they end up getting double life sentences at times. Their considered monsters, a threat to all society.
but that's justice...

I've seen people get sentenced to 15, 20, 30, sometimes even more years in prison for burglary, robbery, theft, of things that can be REPLACED. Their considered monsters, a threat to all society.
but that's justice...

Baicasilly, it's like saying "You can take the kids, but don't take the money".

I'm not speaking on or excusing any of the behavior or actions I used as examples, they are only examples, but, examples of FACTS that I feel should be addressed.
People are getting harder sentences for things that are REPLACEABLE.
Someone steals your money, It's hurt your pockets, may throw you off financially a little bit, but you get to go on with life and build yourself back up.

But a life..... That's something that can never be replaced.
A innocent little boy, only 2 years old, who just wanted to go outside and play with the rest of the kids that day, just like every kid does.
How was that so bad that he deserved to die?? He got a life sentence that day, yet He wasn't a monster, or a threat to society...
Where is his justice??

Mark gets to return to his family, an pick up where he left off. Build himself back up.
After only 13 years...

How many more children will he hurt? Since the state of Texas is giving him the opportunity to do so.
Because what the courts failed to mention was that before Carlitos, 2 of his own children had been permanently removed from their home due to possible abuse. They were found with broken bones and other physical evidence indicating child abuse.
But in the state of Texas, since no one was arrested or charged on those cases, all records are sealed by CPS, and not mentioned during his sentencing.
but that's justice....

I feel that the State of Texas needs to stop and take a second look at their Justice System. I feel that they failed, and Justice was not served for Carlitos, not one bit.
These are things that we can not change, but Justice for the future, we can change.
These kids, our children, they are our future.
They don't deserve to die, especially not in the hands of a monster like Mark.
What he did is a selfish and inexcusable act of anger, which a grown man should be able to control, especially while caring for young children.
No other child needs to be hurt by a person like that.
When will justice really be served??
When will the State of Texas actually stand for something that they claim to represent, and that's PROTECTION.

13 years is not long enough for taking an innocent life. 13 years isn't even long enough for us to heal from this tragedy.
How is 13 years long enough to honestly
say that Mark has changed and been able to rehabilitate himself enough to come back into society, with out the threat of him hurting another child..

The State of Texas failed Carlitos.
Don't let them continue to fail our children.
They are our future...