NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Friends and family of an East Haven mother who was found dead in Branford last month are calling for justice for her and speaking out against violence towards women. It has been more than a month since 27-year-old Lizzbeth Aleman-Popoca first went missing. Her family is still searching for answers.
"I haven't been able to sleep well, I haven't been able to eat well, because I feel such an absence, such an emptiness and a thousand questions about what happened," said her sister, Yaneth Aleman.
Aleman-Popoca was found dead on July 15th, behind the dumpsters at LoMonaco's Ristorante in Branford, where her husband worked.
No arrests have been made in connection with her death.
"I want justice for my daughter because they made her disappear and they killed her. She didn't do that to herself, someone did it. And those people are on the streets enjoying their freedom and we are suffering because of those actions," said her father, Albino Aleman-Sedeño.
East Haven police say they continue to work tirelessly on the case and are waiting for a final determination of cause and manner of death from the medical examiner's office. Sunday afternoon friends, family, and activists met on the New Haven Green to call for justice -- not just for Aleman-Popoca but for all victims of violence.
"There has been no justice for Lizzbeth. We are standing here today because we are denouncing the violence against women in our communities," said Vanessa Suarez, a community organizer.
"The reason we are doing all of this is so that people can realize that this does happen," said Yaneth Aleman.
Aleman-Popoca's family continues to mourn her loss, remembering her as a good daughter, sister, and friend but above all a great mother.
"She'd never leave her daughter. She has a story about her mom, leave them behind and she would never do something like that with her daughter. She always talked about how she wanted to be the best mother," said Fabiola Mendieta-Cuapio, an organizer and family friend.
Sunflowers were placed on some of the trees on the New Haven Green because they were Lizzbeth's favorite flower, and yellow was her favorite color.