Chicago mother still seeking justice 9 years after daughter's murder
CHICAGO (CBS) – Nearly a decade after a Chicago teenager was killed, her family still awaits closure.
The family of the 18-year-old woman killed in Belmont Cragin told CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot that they're not giving up in their quest for justice.
Alexandria Imani Burgos' mother said she knows cases are solved by people with information coming forward. She's hoping that happens nine years after her daughter was killed inside a Belmont Cragin apartment building.
On Oct. 19, 2014, Alexandria's life came to an end.
"She died instantly," said her mother, Milagros Burgos,
Milagros said her daughter had gone to pick up her younger brother at his girlfriend's house at the apartment building on the 5300 block of West Oakdale. Alexandria was standing in the kitchen of the first-floor apartment while waiting for her brother. Shots were fired outside and entered a kitchen window. The teenager was shot in the head and arm.
"Those stray bullets hit my daughter and it hit all of us, because though we're here, half my heart is gone," Milagros said.
Alexandria was a freshman at Wilber Wright College. Her dream was to be a social worker, to help underprivileged children. Her mother said since 2014, there have been no suspects in her daughter's murder.
Chicago Police Department data shows of the 5,713 murders that took place from 2014 to 2022, some 3,669, or 64%, were not cleared.
"That's insane," said Milagros. "It really is."
She added, "It would bring so much peace if we find closure as far as finding who did this crime,"
On the nine-year anniversary, Milagros was joined by her daughter's friends and cousins. They were preparing goodie bags for the annual fall festival taking place on Saturday in Alexandria's memory in Logan Square.
"I will still do what I can for prevention, for my daughter, because no other family should live with that absence and that loss of someone, their loved one being taken from gun violence," Milagros said.
She added, "She will never be out of our hearts. We will forever remember her, but by telling her story and that story, gives us comfort."
In response to this story, Chicago police said their detectives work around the clock to seek justice. They said they have steadily increased the homicide clearance rate to 50%.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police or submit a tip anonymously online at CPDTIP.com. The Gun Trafficking and Homicide Tip Line is also available for anonymous callers at 833-408-0069.
