Two Cicero women were sentenced to over 40 years in prison for engineering a brutal sulfuric acid attack in Chicago’s Logan Square.
Ofelia Garcia, 60, and Maria Olvera-Garcia, 37, were convicted of heinous battery in late September. Last week, Cook County Judge Nicholas Ford sentenced the pair to 44 years and 42 years, respectively.The charges stem from an incident in July 2008 when the women recruited three teens to pour sulfuric acid on Esperanza Medina.
The motive for the crime? Jealousy.
The Sun-Times reports that Ofelia Garcia masterminded the attack after Medina became romantically involved with her common-law husband, Gustavo Alvarez (Hussain.) The Tribune, however, reports a more sordid picture: Gustavo Alvarez was dating both Garcia and Garcia-Olvera before moving in with Medina (Wallberg.)
Garcia and Garcia-Olvera were tried separately because each laid blame with the other in orchestrating the revenge plot.
Medina, a mother of four, was headed to her job as a social worker when the teens walked up and poured the acid on her, hit her with a baseball bat and stole her purse.
The sulfuric acid severely disfigured her face and caused third degree burns over 25- percent of her body. Medina, who lost her job after the attack, has dealt with the tremendous physical, emotional and financial pain for the last two years.
In a statement read by her daughter at the trial, Esperanza Medina described the severe pain she suffered during skin graft surgeries: “I knew I was not crying, but howling like a hurt animal, not a human being…The pain was so bad at the time, I just wanted to die.”
After the brutal attack, basic things such as getting dressed and brushing her teeth became struggles. The social stigma she faced was overwhelming, and Medina did not want to be seen, even by loved ones. Esperanza Medina says that she became so depressed that she tried to overdose twice.
Nonetheless, the verdict and sentencing of her assailants has given Medina peace of mind. Knowing that her attackers are behind bars allows her to move forward with her life. “I’m not a victim anymore,” she said. “I’m an ex-victim.”
In July, the Tribune reported that Medina opened a civil suit against the “group of people” responsible for the incident. Of course, Garcia and Garcia-Olvera are easy targets, but what about the teenagers in the case?
Under Illinois Law, the parents bear the liability for their children’s actions if the act was willful and malicious. The state holds that it is the parent’s responsibility to educate and supervise the children, and thus the liability lies with them when their child assaults another citizen.
However, Illinois law dictates that parents are only liable for up to $2,500 per incident. Judging by the horrendous effects of the attack, it seems that the lion’s share of compensation must come from the two adult plaintiffs.
While the civil case is pending, Garcia and her Garcia-Olivera sit behind bars where they belong. Perhaps the only thing sadder than this vindictive plot was the fact that the women goaded children to do their bidding. One of the children was the girlfriend of Garcia’s grandson and Garcia-Olvera’s son (the two perpetrators are former in-laws.) All three have been convicted of battery, and all three will endure guilt for years to come.
–Steven Flores
Attributed Source