SAN ANTONIO – Nearly two years after her daughter was killed in a domestic violence situation, one San Antonio mother is now giving away the first scholarship in her daughter’s memory to a recipient impacted by domestic abuse.
Rena Castro’s daughter, Erin Castro, was killed just hours after her 19th birthday.
Since her daughter’s death in 2018, Rena has been working tirelessly to raise awareness about domestic violence in teen dating.
Her daughter, Erin, was allegedly killed by her on-and-off-again boyfriend Joshua Garcia.
He’s accused of stabbing Erin before pushing her out of his car and running her over on her birthday, Sept. 1.
RELATED: Murdered teen’s roller coaster of abuse by boyfriend reveals truth about teenage violence
To this day, Rena is brought to tears thinking about the loss of her baby girl.
“It is about thinking of all the things that Erin could have done. What she would be doing right now, the future she would have, what she would be working on, her laugh,” Castro said.
In addition to speaking to teens at several high schools about her daughter’s story and the red flags that come with violence in teen dating, Rena has started her own non-profit and scholarship called the Erin Rios Castro Foundation Scholarship.
On what would have been Erin’s 21st birthday Tuesday, Rena will award the first $1,000 scholarship to a recipient she says wrote an impactful essay.
For the full story, tune in to the video player above.
RELATED: First-ever fundraiser held in honor of 19-year-old Erin Castro, allegedly murdered by her boyfriend
