A bake sale and walk was held in honor of Jessica Rojas who was killed March 3, 2012 by her then boyfriend Jose Santiago.
Springfield- Jennifer Rivera and Jessica Rojas' oldest son, Nathan Laporte speak to the press prior to the Walk Against Domestic Violence from City Hall to Northgate Plaza honoring the life of his mother, Jessica Rojas.
SPRINGFIELD — A year after her death, Jessica Rojas was remembered as a happy, motivated, loving mother, cousin, daughter and friend.
"She was my best friend, my partner in crime. I miss you so much," said Daisy Aviles, Rojas' cousin and organizer of an event held Sunday in Springfield.
Rojas was stabbed in front of her apartment on Washburn Street in the city’s Brightwood section, on March 3, 2012. It was her 25th birthday. She later died at Baystate Medical Center. Her boyfriend Jose Santiago has been charged with her murder and awaits trial.
About 100 people gathered on the steps of City Hall and marched to Northgate Plaza on Main Street where many friends and relatives shared their memories of Rojas. A bake sale was also held to help raise money for the care and education of her four children.
Rojas' 11-year-old son Nathan Laporte has lost both parents to violence. According to family, his father was killed several years ago.
Laporte thanked everyone for attending the event.
"I'm really surprised so many people came to walk today," he said.
At the time of her death, Rojas had just gotten a job at City Hall, was studying criminal justice at Springfield Technical Community College and was enjoying her life, friends said.
"This violence has to stop. See it. Hear it. Report it. Don't close your eyes to it," said Milta Vargas, domestic violence coordinator for the Springfield Police Department.
Jessica Rojas, seen her in a photo from her Facebook page.
Rojas' longtime friend Stacy Rodriguez came to the event to celebrate her friend's life.
"We met in high school, and she was a wonderful person, a wonderful friend," she said.
Herself a victim of domestic violence, Rodriguez said it is important for people to be aware of it and make an effort to speak up and put an end to it.
"We don't want her death to be in vain," she said.
Jennifer Rivera helped organize an event last year after Rojas' death and helped the family organize the event this year.
"This was something they wanted to do for Jessica, but I thought it would be great to get as many people out here as possible to bring awareness to this," she said.
While she was not close friends with Rojas, Rivera was friends with Julie Treadwell, a 26-year-old Springfield woman killed Feb. 8 by her ex-boyfriend Anthony Brown, who subsequently killed himself.
"This needs to stop. Young women cannot keep dying because no one is willing to say anything," she said.